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Antifungal activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Fusarium equiseti phytopathogen isolated from tomato plant in Nepal

Summary

Researchers in Nepal isolated a fungus called Fusarium equiseti that damages tomato plants and created tiny zinc oxide particles from tea leaves to fight it. These nanoparticles successfully stopped the fungus from growing, reducing its growth by up to 85%. This discovery offers farmers an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical fungicides that harm the environment and create resistant fungi.

Background

Fungal diseases pose a major threat to global agriculture, particularly to tomato cultivation. Fusarium wilt disease and other fungal infections significantly reduce crop yields and cause economic losses. Chemical fungicides are environmentally harmful and contributing to fungal resistance development.

Objective

To isolate and identify phytopathogenic fungi from infected tomato plants in Nepal, evaluate their pathogenicity, synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles from tea leaf extract, and assess their antifungal activity against the isolated fungus.

Results

The isolated phytopathogen was identified as Fusarium equiseti with 99.6% identity. Pathogenicity tests confirmed the fungus infected both tomato and bitter gourd fruits. ZnO NPs at 750-1200 ppm inhibited F. equiseti growth by 77.6%-85.1% at 7 days, while microscopic observation showed agglomeration of hyphae, curved tips, and mycelia breakage in treated fungi.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that ZnO nanoparticles synthesized from tea leaves effectively inhibit the growth of F. equiseti phytopathogen. The application of ZnO NPs represents a promising ecofriendly alternative to chemical fungicides for controlling fungal diseases in agriculture, with potential application against other plant pathogens.
  • Published in:Heliyon,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40198, PMID: 39624271
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