A pH-responsive multimodal antimicrobial nanosystem for plant disease control
Aiguo Gu1, Chengshuai He2, Shuo Zhang2
1Jiangsu Product Quality Testing & Inspection Institute, Nanjing 210007, Jiangsu, China.
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology
|October 29, 2025
Summary
A novel pH-responsive nanocarrier, kasugamycin-intercalated ZnFe hydrotalcites (KAS-Zn-Fe HTlc), enhances pesticide delivery and antibacterial activity against plant pathogens. This sustainable approach shows no phytotoxicity, offering a promising solution for plant disease management.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Controlled-release pesticide technologies improve efficacy and sustainability in agriculture.
- Multimodal synergistic antimicrobial strategies combat pesticide resistance in plant disease management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel pH-responsive pesticide delivery system using kasugamycin-intercalated ZnFe hydrotalcites (KAS-Zn-Fe HTlc).
- To evaluate the synergistic antibacterial effects, controlled release kinetics, stability, and crop safety of KAS-Zn-Fe HTlc.
Main Methods:
- Co-precipitation method for synthesizing KAS-Zn-Fe HTlc.
- Characterization using SEM, XRD, UV-vis, and FT-IR.
- Evaluation of loading capacity, release kinetics, thermal/photostability, antibacterial activity, and phytotoxicity.
Main Results:
- KAS-Zn-Fe HTlc demonstrated pH-responsive release of kasugamycin (KAS) and Zn²⁺ under acidic conditions.
- Enhanced thermal and photostability of KAS was observed.
- Significantly increased antibacterial activity against Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (32-fold) and Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans (2-fold) compared to KAS alone.
- No phytotoxicity was detected in tomato seedlings.
Conclusions:
- KAS-Zn-Fe HTlc is a promising nanocarrier for synergistic antimicrobial functions in plant disease control.
- This system offers a sustainable approach to enhance pesticide utilization and manage plant diseases effectively.
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