Vicia faba Fungal diseases: Could nanostructure drug delivery systems be a therapy?

Abstract In current applied research, innovative drug delivery systems have emerged as a strategy for managing plant diseases. The current study demonstrated the usefulness of three nano-drug delivery techniques for suppressing two fungal pathogens: Botrytis fabae and Alternaria alternata , which cause chocolate spot and minor disease leaf spot in Vicia faba plants. This work investigated the delivery of chitosan nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with nystatin and fluconazole antifungals for infected Vicia faba plants through foliar uptake. All different nanoparticles loaded with either nystatin or fluconazole were easily applied to leaf surfaces and enter the stomata via gas uptake, avoiding direct interaction with soil systems. Transmission electron microscopy was used to evaluate nano-drug absorption, translocation, and biosafety in Vicia faba plants. The results obtained revealed that all different nanoparticles were taken up and transported through phloem tissues, in particular, sieve tubes of either healthy, infected or recovered Vicia faba plants. On the other hand, growth and yield developmental parameters in the present study including plant height, number of pods per plants,, number of seeds per pod,, crop yield per plant, and crop index of healthy and recovered Vicia faba plants showed, in general, significant increases. The results show the possibility of these formulations to protect plants from the disease with a sequence of: solid lipid nanoparticles-loaded with fluconazole > chitosan nanoparticles loaded with fluconazole > carbon nanotubes loaded with fluconazole. The results indicate the possibility of these formulations to protect plants from the diseases with a sequence of solid lipid nanoparticles > chitosan nanoparticles > carbon nanotubes. Thus, it is suggested that solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with antifungals would be of use for the control of fungal diseases in crops such like Vicia faba .