Comparative Evaluation of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles for the Management of Bacterial Wilt of Potato Caused by Ralstonia solanacearum

Bacterial wilt of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a devastating disease among potato crops across the world caused by soil-borne bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum, which leads to substantial economic and agricultural losses. The current study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on R. solanacearum in in-vitro conditions. In vitro disc diffusion method revealed that out of five different concentrations of AgNPs and AuNPs, 5000 ppm causes the highest inhibition zone (mm) of 1.70 mm and 1.45 mm of R. solanacearum, respectively. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis showed that these nanoparticles cause distortion of bacterial cell walls. Mode of action of AgNPs and AuNPs triggers the overproduction of superoxide radicals within bacteria leading to oxidative stress and structural damage that causes the disruption of cellular homeostasis, effectively killing the bacterium. How to Cite Raj, R., Vanlaltani, L., Mahanta, M., Singh, H., Das, P., Raj, R., Dutta, P., 2025. Comparative evaluation of silver and gold nanoparticles for the management of bacterial wilt of potato caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. Research Biotica 7(1), 05-10. DOI: 10.54083/ResBio/7.1.2025/05-10.