Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activity of chitosan/TiO2 nanocomposite against Xanthomonas oryzae pv....

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Agricultural Microbiology

Background:

• Bacterial pathogens pose a significant threat to rice cultivation, impacting global food security.
• Developing effective and novel antibacterial agents is crucial for managing plant diseases.
• Chitosan and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are known for their antimicrobial properties, but their synergistic effects in nanocomposites require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize chitosan/TiO2 nanocomposites.
• To evaluate the antibacterial activity of these nanocomposites against the rice bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo).
• To compare the efficacy of the nanocomposite with its individual components.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of chitosan/TiO2 nanocomposites.
• Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
• Antibacterial activity testing against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) under various conditions (light/dark, presence/absence of extracellular polymeric substances).

Main Results:

• The chitosan/TiO2 nanocomposite, particularly at a 1:5 ratio, exhibited the strongest inhibition of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) growth.
• The nanocomposite demonstrated significantly higher antibacterial activity against Xoo compared to chitosan or TiO2 alone, under both light and dark conditions.
• Chitosan/TiO2 nanocomposite showed robust antibacterial activity irrespective of extracellular polymeric substances, with enhanced sensitivity observed in their absence.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized chitosan/TiO2 nanocomposite possesses superior antibacterial properties against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo).
• The observed synergistic effect highlights the potential of this nanocomposite as an effective antibacterial material for agricultural applications.
• Further development of this chitosan/TiO2 nanocomposite is promising for combating rice bacterial diseases.