In vitro and in vivo inhibitory effects and transcriptional reactions of graphene oxide on Verticillium dahliae

Graphene oxide, a nanomaterial derived from graphene, effectively inhibits the growth of Verticillium dahliae, a fungus that causes devastating wilt disease in cotton and many other plants. The study shows that graphene oxide damages the fungal cell membrane and disrupts key metabolic processes, preventing the fungus from growing and infecting plants. When applied to cotton plants, graphene oxide treatment significantly reduced wilt disease symptoms, suggesting it could be a promising alternative to chemical fungicides for controlling this important agricultural disease.