Chitosan thiamine nanoparticles intervene innate immunomodulation during Chickpea-Fusarium interaction.

The present study evaluated the effect of chitosan thiamine nanoparticles (TCNP) on the activation of defence responses in chickpea against stress caused by wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri (FOC), under greenhouse condition. A significant increase in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants was observed in the TCNP treated chickpea plants challenged with FOC compared to the untreated control. Histochemical staining showed high deposition of lignin in the vascular bundles of chickpea stem tissues in TCNP treated plants challenged with FOC. More than 90% protection against wilt pathogen was observed in TCNP treated chickpea plants challenged with FOC, under greenhouse condition. Higher accumulation of antioxidants and phenylpropanoids in TCNP treated challenged chickpea plants well correlates with resistance against wilt pathogen. These results suggest that the elicitation of stress response in TCNP treated chickpea during FOC interaction play a vital role in suppressing the wilt disease in chickpea.
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