Potency of Mancozeb Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Goat, Cow and Buffalo Urine Against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Causing Anthracnose Disease.

Silver nanoparticles of 22-40 nm size were synthesized using goat, cow and buffalo urine. These nanoparticles are conjugated with a fungicide (Mancozeb). The antifungal activity of these conjugated nanoparticles (Mc-AgNPs) was tested against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides which causes anthracnose disease in various fruits and vegetables. This fungus infects during pre and postharvesting seasons causing a significant decrease in the quantity and quality of the product. The fungicide conjugated AgNPs were characterized by UV-Visible, FTIR, SEM and XRD analysis. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by the UV-visible spectroscopy. The shape of AgNPs was found to be spherical. The Mc-AgNPs from goat, cow and buffalo urine exhibited 146.15%, 133.33% and 114.28% more antifungal activity than the fungicides alone respectively. The results indicate that the Mc-AgNPs from goat urine showed more efficacy than cow and buffalo urine. The fungicideconjugated AgNPs drastically reduce the amount of fungicide to be applied against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which in turn reduce the hazardous effect caused by fungicides. Further, these can be tested to control other pathogenic fungi also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]