Evaluación del potencial antifúngico de nanopartículas de cobre biosintetizadas por Trichoderma contra Moniliophthora roreri

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. The Ecuadorian cacao sector is currently facing a severe phytosanitary crisis due to moniliasis, a disease responsible for destroying between 50–80% of annual harvests, thereby threatening the food security of over 100,000 families. Conventional control methods exhibit both economic and environmental limitations, necessitating the exploration of innovative solutions. This study evaluated the development of copper nanoparticles biosynthesized by native Trichoderma strains as a biotechnological control strategy against Moniliophthora roreri, establishing protocols for their characterization and antifungal assessment. Microbial isolation techniques were implemented, followed by the biosynthesis of copper nanoparticles using extracellular filtrates and copper sulfate (5 mM), UV-visible spectroscopic characterization, and inhibition assays on solid media under a rigorous experimental design. The analyses confirmed the phenotypic identity of the isolated microorganisms and the successful formation of nanoparticles, as evidenced by absorption peaks at 590 nm. Inhibition percentages of pathogenic growth were 10.28% and 1.67% for the two strains evaluated-lower than the chemical control (21.39%) but superior to the negative control. The research provides a standardized protocol and demonstrates the feasibility of biosynthesizing antifungal nanoparticles, thus laying the groundwork for the development of sustainable alternatives for the integrated management of cacao moniliasis. Keywords: Cacao, moniliasis, nanotechnology, plant health.