Nanoparticles: A Novel Promising Strategy for the Management of Plant Disease-Causing Pathogens

Plant disease control is in high demand around the world to protect agricultural production against pathogens that can infect a wide range of crops. However, effective disease protection from viruses, fungi, and bacteria in crops is still one of the major challenges in agriculture. Nanotechnology has been well-recognized as a novel strategy for combating a range of pathogens that cause diseases in plants. Nanoparticles such as ZnO, SiO2, MgO, and AgNPs were demonstrated to play a vital role in plant protection. Among these, for instance, ZnO nanoparticles were used to inhibit the growth of Penicillium expansum, Fusarium graminearum, F. oxysporum, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and consequently reduce their negative impacts. In recent years, more and more literature revealed that nanotechnology could serve as a promising tool for the suppression of various diseases caused by plant pathogenic microorganisms, and this will help immensely toward global food security as well as increase income to the farmers. This chapter aims to summarize the use of nanoparticles to control different diseases in plants; their mode of action and uptake; interactions between nanoparticles, pathogens, and plants; toxicological impacts; and additionally, the limitations were comprehensively discussed.