Nanobiofungicides: Present concept and future perspectives in fungal control

There are concerns associated with the agricultural use of fungicides, including environmental pollution, increased resistance in pests, negative efficacy of delivery, and the appearance of residues in agricultural commodities. As such, there is a growing need to look for a new era of antifungal markets. The application of nanotechnology in crop protection and attempts to limit financial losses have just begun. Nanobiofungicides represent the subsequent generation of traditional pesticides that would provide greater benefits such as increased efficacy and durability with fewer amounts of active substances required under field conditions. In reality, new strategies for biohybrid nanocide substances could be used as emerging environmentally friendly antimicrobials against specific pathogenic and toxigenic organisms. Some ecofriendly fungicides with advanced nanomaterial components have effectively shown enhanced pathogen-killing properties. For example, the biogenic bio-AgNPs exhibit strong antifungal effects against Bipolaris sorokiniana and successfully manage its pathogenicity in wheat. Another advancement is the use of engineered nanomaterials. This unique property of nanomaterials is exploited to manage the plant-pest chain. Therefore, there are several studies suggesting that nanobiofungicides play a vital role in the control of fungal pathogens, and that such products could have significant potential for future use. Therefore, this chapter focuses on the use of nanoformulations of Ag, Cu, SiO₂, and ZnO as well as nanobiofungicides as powerful alternatives for the ecofriendly management of plant pathogenic fungi in the coming decades. Moreover, the application of other nanomaterials, including silica and carbon- or polymer-based nanomaterials, is also discussed. Crops treated with safe nanofungicides will gain added value because they are free of chemical residues, decay, and putative pathogens that affect human health, sustaining the global demand for high product quality.