Researchers Find Silver Lining In Phytophthora Fight
May 5, 2015 A team of researchers from the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology have discovered that silver nanoparticles produced with an extract of the herb wormwood can kill several strains of phytophthora.
Photo courtesy of UF/IFAS
Phytophthora is a fungal pathogen that attacks the leaves and roots of more than 400 plants and trees. Worldwide crop losses due to phytophthora-related diseases are estimated to be in the multibillion dollar range, among them $6.7 billion in losses in potato crops due to late blight.
“The silver nanoparticles are extremely effective in eliminating the fungus in all stages of its life cycle,” said University of Florida plant pathologist G. Shad Ali. “In addition, it had no adverse effects on plant growth.”
Wormwood is an herb naturally found in the foothills of Himalayas and is known to have strong antioxidant properties. Ali said the silver-wormwood nanoparticles can be used as economical and eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides.
The silver nanoparticles measure 5 to 100 nanometers in diameter (20 nanometers is about the thickness of a cell wall) and are sprayed onto a plant. They then shield the plant from the fungus.
According to Ali, since the silver nanoparticles have multiple ways of inhibiting fungus growth, the chances of pathogens developing resistance to them are minimized. Because of that, they may be used for controlling fungicide-resistant plant pathogens more effectively.
They now hope to develop these nanoparticles into a commercial product for use in controlling phytophthora diseases in plants.
The team’s work was published in the latest issue of the journal Phytopathology.
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