Potential Of Synthesised Silver Nanoparticles in The Biocontrol of Economically Important Phytopathogens

Nano silver particles were synthesised through the chemical reduction of Ag+ using glucose to produce a stable nano silver suspension. The antimicrobial efficacy of this suspension was evaluated against 12 plant pathogenic microorganisms using both disc diffusion and agar well diffusion methods. While no antimicrobial activity was observed in the disc diffusion method, the agar well diffusion method proved suitable for identifying inhibition zones. Consequently, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) measurements were conducted using the agar well diffusion method. The nano silver suspension demonstrated antimicrobial effects against all tested pathogens, including Alcaligenes piechaudii, Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroceptica, Erwinia chrysanthemi, Flavobacter sp., Pseudomonas cichorii, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, Xanthomonas axanopodis pv. malvacearum, Xanthomonas axanopodis pv. vesicatoria, Xanthomonas axanopodis pv. campestris, and Xanthomonas campestris pv. raphani. Notably, the suspension exhibited higher inhibitory activity against Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas cichorii, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, and Xanthomonas axanopodis pv. vesicatoria. Post-synthesis characterization of the particles was conducted using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy to analyse their morphology and crystalline structure.