Abstract
The manuscript presents the first report to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using soil-inhabiting Purpureocillium lilacinum fungus cell filtrate as a promising fungicide and nematicide on two microorganisms causing high economic losses in agriculture. Methods: A fungus biomass was used as a reducing and stabilising agent in the process of NPs synthesis and then characterisation done by SEM, TEM, UV-Vis. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of the synthesised AgNPs was determined. Results: Synthesised AgNPs with a spherical and quasi-spherical shape with an average diameter of 50 nm were effective to inhibit A. flavus fungi and M. incognita root knot nematode, which are extremely pathogenic for plants. Application of the AgNPs led to 85% reduction of proliferation of A. flavus, to a 4-fold decrease of hatching of M. incognita plant-parasite juveniles from eggs, and to a 9-fold increase of M. incognita nematode mortality. Conclusions: Biosynthesised AgNPs can be used as an effective fungicide and nematicide for food safety and security and improvement of agricultural production, but further agricultural field trials are required to observe their effect on environment and other factors.
Highlights
Many microorganisms cause diseases in crop plants, affecting crop production and leading to huge yield losses
In order to fully utilise the advantage of nanotechnology in plant disease protection and management, we report a green, handy and environment friendly approach for the biosynthesis of AgNPs using P. lilacinum as a bioresource, which is non-hazardous and inexpensive
The present work presents a method of an extracellular mycosynthesis of AgNPs using the metabolites of the fungus P. lilacinum, which, as far as we know, is the first report dedicated to eco-friendly synthesis of nanoparticles using P. lilacinum fungus cell filtrate
Summary
Many microorganisms cause diseases in crop plants, affecting crop production and leading to huge yield losses. Root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita is a plant parasitic nematode that causes root knot disease in many important crop plants such as tomatoes, lettuces, peppers, etc. The filamentous fungus Aspergillus flavus is a pathogenic and saprophytic fungus that produces aflatoxins causing disease in crops such as maize, cottonseed, and peanuts, reducing crop yield [3]. This fungus causes intoxication in humans by the consumption of nuts, grains, and their derived products contaminated by the fungus [4].
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