Abstract
The brown spot disease caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum fungus on dragon fruit plants (Hylocereus undatus) is an extremely serious disease. Oligochitosan (OC) and nanosilica (nSiO2) have been considered as effective plant elicitors. In this study, OC with Mw of 3000, 5000, and 7000 g/mol was prepared by γ-irradiation and nSiO2 with size ~ 45 nm was synthesized from rice husk. Mixture of nSiO2–OC was prepared by dispersing nSiO2 in OC solution. The resistant effect against brown spot disease on dragon fruit plants was assessed by measuring the induced chitinase enzyme activity and the disease severity after spraying OC, nSiO2–OC and inoculating fungus. The results showed that all OC enhanced chitinase induction and reduced disease severity compared with control, and the OC ~ 3000 g/mol exhibited the highest activity. The nSiO2–OC also exhibited similar effect as OC and nSiO2, but it was more effective than individual OC or nSiO2 from 120 h onward.
Published Version
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