Search for Effective Approaches to Fight Microorganisms Causing High Losses in Agriculture: Application of <i>P. lilacinum</i> Metabolites and Mycosynthesised Silver Nanoparticles

The manuscript presents the first report to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using soil-inhabiting Purpureocillium lilacinum fungus cell filtrate as a promising fungicide and nematicide on two microorganisms causing high economic losses in agriculture. Methods: A fungus biomass was used as a reducing and stabilising agent in the process of NPs synthesis and then characterisation done by SEM, TEM, UV-Vis. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of the synthesised AgNPs was determined. Results: Synthesised AgNPs with a spherical and quasi-spherical shape with an average diameter of 50 nm were effective to inhibit A. flavus fungi and M. incognita root knot nematode, which are extremely pathogenic for plants. Application of the AgNPs led to 85% reduction of proliferation of A. flavus, to a 4-fold decrease of hatching of M. incognita plant-parasite juveniles from eggs, and to a 9-fold increase of M. incognita nematode mortality. Conclusions: Biosynthesised AgNPs can be used as an effective fungicide and nematicide for food safety and security and improvement of agricultural production, but further agricultural field trials are required to observe their effect on environment and other factors