Phytopathology (2013) 103, 228-236

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Mathews L. Paret, Gary E. Vallad, Devron R. Averett, Jeffrey B. Jones and Stephen M. Olson (2013)
Photocatalysis: Effect of light-activated nanoscale formulations of TiO₂ on Xanthomonas perforans and control of bacterial spot of tomato
Phytopathology 103 (3), 228-236
Abstract: Protection of crops from bacterial diseases presents a continuing challenge, mandating the development of novel agents and approaches. Photocatalysis is a process where chemically reactive oxygen species are catalytically generated by certain minerals in the presence of light. These reactive oxygen species have the capacity to destroy organic molecular structures critical to pathogen viability. In this study, the antibacterial potential of photocatalytic nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO₂), nanoscale TiO₂ doped (incorporation of other materials into the structure of TiO₂) with silver (TiO₂/Ag), and nanoscale TiO₂ doped with zinc (TiO₂/Zn; AgriTitan) was evaluated against Xanthomonas perforans, the causal agent for bacterial spot disease of tomato. In vitro experiments on photocatalytic activity and dose dependency were conducted on glass cover slips coated with the nanoscale formulations by adding a known population of X. perforans strain Xp-F7 and illuminating the cover slips under a visible light source. TiO₂/Ag and TiO₂/Zn had high photocatalytic activity against X. perforans within 10 min of exposure to 3 × 10⁴ lux. Greenhouse studies on naturally and artificially infected transplants treated with TiO₂/Zn at ≈500 to 800 ppm significantly reduced bacterial spot severity compared with untreated and copper control. Protection was similar to the grower standard, copper + mancozeb. The use of TiO₂/Zn at ≈500 to 800 ppm significantly reduced disease incidence in three of the four trials compared with untreated and copper control, and was comparable to or better than the grower standard. The treatments did not cause any adverse effects on tomato yield in any of the field trials.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Database assignments for author(s): Jeffrey B. Jones, Gary E. Vallad

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Xanthomonas euvesicatoria	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)