**2.4 Nanotechnology application as nanofungicides**

The use of nanosilver has been studied recently against phytopathogen *Colletotrichum gloeosporioides* [41]. Other nanoparticles (Fe, Cu, Si, Al, Zn, ZnO, TiO2, CeO2, Al2O3 and carbon nanotubes) have been reported to have some adverse effects on plant growth apart from the antimicrobial properties [42]. Sometimes, nanoparticles also have an effect on the growth of useful soil bacteria, such as *Pseudomonas putida KT2440* [43]. Various research groups focused their interest on the usage of eco-friendly pesticides. Similar to chemical pesticides, nanoparticlebased pesticides and herbicides are being explored for the application of the antimicrobial agents to protect crops from various diseases. Extensive studies on nanoparticle-based systems may eliminate the intensive use of pesticides in the agricultural sector [44]. The antifungal properties of nanoparticles can help to formulate nanoparticle-based pesticides [41]. Among the different inorganic nanoparticle-based antimicrobial agents, silver has been extensively studied by many researchers because of its several advantages over other nanoparticles such as copper, zinc, gold, ZnO, Al2O3 and TiO2.
