Antifungal activity of Carbendazim-conjugated silver nanoparticles against anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in mango

Mango is one of the popular fruits in the tropical region including India and the production of this is adversely affected by Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. This fungal infection during pre-and post-harvesting seasons causes significant economic loss and thus there is a need for effective fungicide to control the disease. Currently, many fungicides including Carbendazim at high concentrations are being used which is a serious environmental hazard. Recently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are being used as a potent means of controlling various pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, we have synthesized Carbendazim-conjugated silver nanoparticles (Cz-AgNPs) by a chemical method and tested their efficacy against C. gloeosporioides, in vitro. The Cz-AgNPs were characterized by UV-Visible, FTIR, SEM and XRD analysis. The shape of Cz-AgNPs was found to be spherical with an average particle size of 19-24 nm. The antifungal activity of Cz-AgNPs was found to be dose-dependent and the maximum potency was observed at a low concentration of 0.1% as compared to fungicide alone at 1% concentration. These results indicate that the Cz-AgNPs could be effectively used to control anthracnose disease in mango and in other crops as well. Further studies with other fungicides and field studies are in progress.