Sustainable and Biosafe Approach to Control Potato Late Blight Using Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Phytophthora infestans-induced potato late blight is considered the "cancer of the potato crop." In this work, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with ultrahigh specific surface area (786.28 m²/g) were synthesized, which significantly inhibited P. infestans compared with some commercial fungicides. Moreover, MSNs inhibited the growth and reproductive of P. infestans processes, including germination, sporangia infection, and zoospore release. MSNs targeted key biological pathways and induced a stress response in the P. infestans, leading to reactive oxygen species (•O^2-, •OH, and ¹O₂) production and structural damage of sporangia. Pot experiments showed that MSNs are translocated from leaves to roots of potato plants, enhancing physiological and biochemical processes, alleviating drought stress, improving resistance to pathogens, and exhibiting soil microbe-friendly. This study systematically reveals the mechanism of MSNs to weaken the reproduction process of P. infestans and confirm the safety and feasibility of MSNs as a green and sustainable fungicide.