Enhancing Sugar Beet Plant Health with Zinc Nanoparticles: A Sustainable Solution for Disease Management

Abstract

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is susceptible to various diseases, especially powdery mildew, caused by Erysiphe betae. Using nanotechnology in agriculture could revolutionize the sector by providing new tools for fast disease diagnosis and disease resistance. This study investigated the potential of Zn nanoparticles in inducing resistance to powdery mildew in sugar beet plants through two experiments. The first experiment assessed the susceptibility of sugar beet cultivars to powdery mildew, with Puma being the most resistant and Top being the most susceptible. The second experiment examined the impact of Zn NPs in inducing resistance to powdery mildew. Zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZN) and zinc sulfate (ZS) at concentrations of 100, 50 and 10 ppm were used as foliar applications. The results showed that most treatments significantly increased levels of chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll, total soluble sugars, endogenous H₂O₂, and activity of peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), while reducing the severity of powdery mildew disease, lipid peroxidation (MDA), phenolics concentrations and catalase activity, especially Zn at concentrations of 100 and 50 ppm compared to infected control. The physiological role of Zn NPs in inducing resistance against powdery mildew disease is attributed to the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative reactions of phenolic compounds catalyzed by PPO and/or POD. Our results suggested that ZnO nanoparticles at 100 and 50 ppm can be used as a foliar spray to reduce the harmful impacts of biotic stress caused by E. betae in sugar beet plants by inducing resistance to the pathogen.