Identification and Phylogeny of Fusarium falciforme causing Potato Dry rot, its Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis, Characterization and Use against Bacterial Pathogens

Potato tubers collected from different areas showed the prevalence of dry rot with characteristic white mycelia of Fusarium pathogen. Fusarium species on diseased tubers were isolated based on morphological features. 18S-ITS based analysis followed by Phylogenetic tree constructed using TEF1-α identified Fusarium isolates as Fusarium verticilloides , Fusarium soloni , Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium falciforme . According to our knowledge, this study is the first report of occurrence of Fusarium falciforme causing dry rot on potato tubers in Pakistan. The pathogenicity test confirmed the reappearance of dry rot symptoms with Fusarium falciforme on potato tuber. Similarly, the formation of Fusarium falciforme Ag NPs was confirmed using UV, XRD, FTIR and SEM. The synthesized Ag NPs showed color change with Fusarium falciforme and accordingly UV peak was observed at 430 nm. The XRD revealed Ag based specific angles at 36.14°, 44.26°, 64.42° and 77.44° corresponding to face cubic structure. Similarly, FTIR band absorption at 1413 cm ¹ , 1041 cm ¹ and 690 cm ¹ ascribed the presence of various biomolecules with O-H and N-H stretching vibrations based on Fusarium falciforme Ag NPs synthesis. SEM indicated the synthesized Ag NPs and EDS analysis showed the presence of Ag in NPs. Maximum zone of inhibition with Fusarium falciforme Ag NPs was observed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas syringae and Staphylococcus aureus at 0.05 LSD significance.