In vitro antifungal efficacy of copper nanoparticles against selected crop pathogenic fungi

Copper nanoparticles play an important role in the field of optics and electronics, and also as a novel antimicrobial. In the present study, we report antifungal activity of copper nanoparticles against selected crop pathogenic fungi. Copper nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction of Cu2+ in the presence of Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide and isopropyl alcohol. Characterizations of copper nanoparticles were carried out by UV-visible spectroscopy, nanoparticles tracking analysis (NTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which revealed that synthesized nanoparticles were coated by Cetyl Trimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB) having particle size of 3-10 nm. Copper nanoparticles demonstrated significant antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi: Phoma destructive (DBT-66), Curvularia lunata (MTCC no. 2030), Alternaria alternate (MTCC No. 6572) and Fusarium oxysporum (MTCC No. 1755). Since for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles the present chemical method by using C-TAB-IPA is found to be simple, economic and fast, the synthesized copper nanoparticles can be used as a novel antifungal agent in agriculture to control the plant pathogenic fungi as well as potent disinfectant in poultry and animal husbandry. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.