Antifungal activity of nanosilver particles against phytopathogenic fungi

Abstract

The green biosynthesis and the application of silvernanoparticles (AgNPs) as nanofungicideagainst fungal cereal pathogens has become an interesting subject. The aims of the current study were to isolate and identify the mycoflora associated with white and yellow corn grain and peanuts seeds samples collected from 4 different districts of Cairo governorate, Egypt; to use Morusnigraaqueous leaves extract for the green synthesis of AgNPs; to evaluate the extract and green synthesized AgNPsin vitroantifungal potency and in vivo anti-aflatoxin (AFG1, AFG2, AFB1 and AFB2)production activities. Isolation and identification of mycoflora from white and yellow corn and peanuts seeds using Potaoto dextrose agar (PDA), Nash and Coon’s media revealed the occurrence of 16 different fungal species belonging to 7 genera. AgNPs showed Uv/Vis absorbance at 425 nm, whereas, TEM demonstrated their spherical shape and sizes ranged from 4 to 8 nm. Both AgNPs and the plant extract showed a potent in vitro antifungal potential against the 5 selected fungi namely; Penicilliumcarryophylum; Fusariumverticilloides; F. oxysporum, Aspergillusflavusand A. terreus, using Poisoned food technique and agar well diffusion assay. In addition, their effects on the fungal mycelialdry weight of these selected mycoflora were tested.