LAUSR

Chemical control suffers from the loss of available conventional active ingredients due to strict environmental safety regulations which, combined with the loss of fungicide efficacy due to resistance development, constitute major problems of contemporary crop protection. Metal containing nanoparticles appear to have all the credentials to be the next-generation, eco-compatible fungicide alternatives and a valuable anti-resistance management tool. Could the introduction of metal NPs as nano-fungicides be the answer to both reducing environmental footprint of xenobiotics and dealing with fungicide resistance? The potential of metal nanoparticles to be utilized as nano-fungicides both as alternative to conventional fungicides or/and as partners in combating fungicide resistance is discussed in terms of effectiveness, potential antimicrobial mechanisms as well as synergy profiles with conventional fungicides. However, their "golden" potential to be used both as alternatives and partners of conventional fungicides to combat resistance and reduce environmental pollution, is challenged by undesirable effects towards non-target organisms such as phytotoxicity, toxicity to humans and environmental ecotoxicity, constituting risks that should be considered before their commercial introduction as nano-pesticides at a large scale. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.