News Agriculture

Nanoscale nutrients can protect plants from fungal diseases

Tuning the chemistries of nanomaterials changes the plants’ response levels to fungal pathogens

soybean plant leaves infected with Fusarium virguliforme fungus

In soybean plants, the Fusarium virguliforme fungus mottles the leaves (pictured) and leads to “sudden death syndrome,” a leading disease in North America that limits crop yields.

Kiersten Wise/Bugwood.org (CC BY-NC 3.0 US)

By Shi En Kim

Chances are, most — if not all — of the produce in your kitchen is threatened by fungal diseases. The threat looms large for food