Assessing the Carboxymethylcellulose Copper-Montmorillonite Nanocomposite for Controlling the Infection of Erwinia carotovora in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Abstract

A novel antimicrobial formulation based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) spray-coated Cu2+ intercalated montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposite material was prepared and its morphology, internal structure, and bonding interactions were studied. Meanwhile, the antibacterial efficacy and release behavior of Cu2+ was also determined. PXRD patterns indicated the intercalation of Cu2+, while FTIR spectra and TGA traces confirmed the association of Cu−MMT with CMC. SEM study revealed the improvement of nanocomposites by CMC, without disturbing the clay structure. TEM and EDAX studies indicated the distribution of Cu (copper) throughout the composite. In vitro antibacterial assays performed with Erwinia carotovora revealed effective bacterial growth suppression, indicating the potential of this material in controlling soft rot of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum); also observed was a connection between growth inhibition and concentration of CMC spray coats indicating a positive relationship between Cu2+ release and concentration of the CMC coatings. The activity pattern of the nanocomposite displayed a significant degree of sustained-release behavior.

Recent Developments of Carboxymethyl Cellulose

“…Therefore, the characterization of a CMC product is also an essential step for determining its further applications and marketization in different areas. Among the various characterization techniques, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis [100], Fourier transformation infrared ray (FTIR) spectroscopy [101], and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) [102] have been used. Although numerous research works have been published so far that introduce different uses and applications of CMC in various fields, all the findings are scattered throughout the literature.…”

Application of superabsorbent natural polymers in agriculture

“…CMC is commonly used as a suspending agent in pesticide and herbicide sprays due to its high viscosity at low concentrations. 90 CMC has been found to be an effective coating agent when utilising natural clays as herbicide carrier. In one study CMC coated K10 montmorillonite clay was identified as the most advantageous between technical constraints and potential environmental effects.…”

The potential of nanomaterials for sustainable modern agriculture: present findings and future perspectives

“…In vitro antibacterial assays of Cu-MMT-CMC performed with E. carotovora revealed effective bacterial growth suppression indicated the potential of this material in controlling soft rot of potatoes. 165 As antimicrobial agents, NMs might successfully reduce phytopathogen infections at low concentrations and with little ecotoxicity, making them an attractive alternative to traditional methods. This technique has the potential to minimize reliance and energy costs associated with the manufacture of synthetic chemicals, hence minimizing environmental hazards associated with agrochemicals and mitigating climate change while also effectively guaranteeing crop health in a sustainable manner.…”