‘Bioinspired nano-architected chitosan-β-glucan nanocomposite as an elicitor for disease management sustainably’

The development and utilization of innovative nano-biomaterials have ushered in a paradigm shift in sustainable disease management and immune modulation. Their application is crucial in combating the soil-born pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii, which impacts over 500 crops, causing substantial global economic losses. Present work reports a groundbreaking innovative development strategy of nanoengineering of chitosan-yeast β-glucan (C-YB) as well as chitosan-S. rolfsii β-glucan (C-SB) composites to bio-mimic Microbe/Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (M/PAMPs) for synergistic immune stimulation while countering immune suppression induced by pathogen. The eco-friendly, microwave-based synthesized nanocomposites exhibit remarkable antifungal properties and feature an amorphous structure with spherical shapes measuring 96.81 nm for C-YB and 98.66 nm for C-SB. These nanocomposites completely suppress S. rolfsii at concentrations as low as 220 ppm for C-YB and 240 ppm for C-SB, significantly outperforming chitosan nanoparticles (600 ppm) and chemical fungicides (2000 ppm). Further, this study highlights the modulation of enzymatic activity and chitinase and β-glucanase enzyme secretion by S. rolfsii which is the first report, offering new insights into its enzymatic dynamics. Exploring the antifungal mechanism of action, microscopic observation reveals that these synthesized nanomaterials induce malformations and cellular disorganization in S. rolfsii, culminating in growth inhibition and cell death. This strategic framework introduces innovative bioengineered nanocomposites with aims to enhance resilience by orchestrating a series of immune responses to various stresses in sugarbeet. These advancements not only contribute to the bio-circular economy but also hold promising potential for versatile applications across agriculture, pharmaceuticals, medical and industrial fields.