Nanomaterials for the Rapid Identification of Agriculturally Important Plant Pathogens

Nanomaterials (NMs) have shown great potential for the rapid identification of agriculturally important plant pathogens. The small size and unique properties of NMs make them well-suited for use in biosensors and diagnostic assays. The NMs have not been only used for detection or identification of plant pathogens, they have the potential to protect crops from different pathogens in order to minimize the reduction in crops production and the monetary losses. The NMs have been utilized in various techniques including microneedle applications, nano-barcoding systems, nano-biosensors, miRNA-based nano diagnosis/array-based nano-sensors, and nano-diagnostic apparatus, for the rapid identification of agricultural-related plant pathogens. NMs, such as gold (Au) NMs and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), have been used in the development of biosensors for the detection of plant viruses and bacteria. These biosensors exploit the unique optical and electrical properties of these NMs to provide highly sensitive and specific responses toward target plant pathogens. Similarly, CNTs have been used for the detection of bacteria that cause plant diseases, such as Xanthomonas campestris, which is responsible for black rot disease in cruciferous crops. CNTs have a large surface area and high electrical conductivity, making them ideal for use in electrochemical sensors that can detect the presence of bacterial pathogens in plant samples. In addition to biosensors, NMs have also been used to develop rapid diagnostic assays based on metallic NMs. For example, magnetic NMs have been used to develop rapid diagnostic tests for plant diseases such as late blight, which is caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans.