Database Research Summaries2018 Use of Silver Nanoparticles as an Alternative to Fungicides to Manage White Mold in Soybean in Vitro and in Field
Research Focus
The focus of this project is to use Silver nanoparticles as an alternative to conventional fungicides to manage white mold in soybeans.
Objectives
- Evaluate the inhibition effects of bare and surface modified silver nanoparticles against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum to manage white mold in vitro and in field conditions.
- Evaluate the efficacy of silver nanoparticles in multiple doses in combination of recommended dosages of commercially available BallardPLUS®, a biological control organism, Bacillus pumulis QST 2808 to control Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.
- Determine the possible entry of silver nanoparticles into food chain through residue analysis and electron microscopic visualization.
Results
- Laboratory Results: Silver nanoparticles at very high concentrations showed response of growth reduction on S. sclerotiorum isolates when grown on silver nanoparticle amended potato dextrose agar (PDA) culture media Petri plates. The EC50 values ranged from 211 µg/ml to 703 µg/ml indicating silver nanoparticles as of alone do not have fungicidal properties.
- Field Results: White mold incidence was high (9.5%) in non-treated control with a mean severity of 2.5% and has higher index (percent white mold incidence x severity/100) when compared with the other treatments of the current research trial. Whereas, the lowest incidence of white mold was observed in the combination treatment of commercial grade silver nanoparticle at 1000 µg/ml with standard dose of Ballard Plus when applied at R1 stage of soybean.
Importance
An alternative and safe method of white mold management will be available to growers.
For more information about this research project, please visit the National Soybean Checkoff Research Database.
Funded in part by the soybean checkoff.
