Zinkicide Is a ZnO-Based Nanoformulation with Bactericidal Activity against Liberibacter crescens in Batch Cultures and in Microfluidic Chambers Simulating Plant Vascular Systems
Eber Naranjo, Marcus V. Merfa, Swadeshmukul Santra, Ali Özcan, Evan G. Johnson, Paul A. Cobine, Leonardo De La Fuente
Abstract
“ Candidatus Liberibacter” species are associated with incurable plant diseases that have caused billions of dollars of losses for United States and world agriculture. Chemical control of these pathogens is complicated, because their life cycle combines intracellular vascular stages in plant hosts with transmission by highly mobile insect vectors. To date, “ Candidatus Liberibacter” species are mostly unculturable, except for Liberibacter crescens , a member of the genus that has been used as a model for in vitro assays. Here, we evaluated the potential of Zinkicide (ZnK) as an antimicrobial against “ Candidatus Liberibacter” species in batch cultures and under flow conditions, using L. crescens as a biological model. ZnK displayed bactericidal activity against L. crescens in batch cultures and showed increased mobility and bactericidal activity in microfluidic devices resembling “ Candidatus Liberibacter” species natural habitats. ZnK performance observed here against L. crescens makes this compound a promising candidate to control plant diseases caused by vascular pathogens.