Fighting Phytopathogens with Engineered Inorganic-Based Nanoparticles

The development of effective and ecofriendly agrochemicals, including bactericides, fungicides, insecticides, and nematicides, to control pests and prevent plant diseases remains a key challenge. Nanotechnology has provided opportunities for the use of nanomaterials as components in the development of anti-phytopathogenic agents. Indeed, inorganic-based nanoparticles (INPs) are among the promising ones. They may play an effective role in targeting and killing microbes via diverse mechanisms, such as deposition on the microbe surface, destabilization of cell walls and membranes by released metal ions, and the induction of a toxic mechanism mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species. Considering the lack of new agrochemicals with novel mechanisms of action, it is of particular interest to determine and precisely depict which types of INPs are able to induce antimicrobial activity with no phytotoxicity effects, and which microbe species are affected. Therefore, this review aims to provide an update on the latest advances in research focusing on the study of several types of engineered INPs, that are well characterized (size, shape, composition, and surface features) and show promising reactivity against assorted species (bacteria, fungus, virus). Since effective strategies for plant protection and plant disease management are urgently needed, INPs can be an excellent alternative to chemical agrochemical agents as indicated by the present studies.