Nanomaterials, an Eco-Friendly Replacement of Traditional Agricultural Plant Fungicides

Abstract

Various engineered nanoparticles (NPs) (1-100 nm) have demonstrated activity in suppressing plant diseases. NPs have been integrated into disease management strategies as fungicides and as nanofertilizers to enhance plant health. In all the nanomaterials with antibacterial or antifungal properties, metallic nanoparticles are the best. Also, the biosynthesis of nanoparticles is under exploration due to extensive biomedical applications and research interest in nanotechnology. The biological approach for the synthesis of nanoparticles is considered more eco-friendly and cost-effective than the other chemical and physical approaches. There are many nanomaterials with many different uses, but it isn’t easy to test all of them and estimate their effects on the environment and the ecosystem. Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles act directly as antimicrobial agents and function in altering the nutritional status of the host and thus activate defence mechanisms. Therefore, the current chapter deals with applying silver nanoparticles for quicker, more cost-effective, and precise diagnostic procedures for plant diseases that may modify the crop environments by adversely affecting the crop pathogens.