Antifungal effects of pomegranate extract intercalated into silicate nanoparticles against blue mold of apple

Biological method for controlling (use of plant polyphenols) the postharvest fungi diseases has been suggested as an environmentally friendly method. However the principal problems of plant polyphenols application as fungicide is their rapid decomposition in normal environmental conditions by temperature, oxygen and light. One of the best solutions for this problem is encapsulation or intercalation them into nanoparticles In this regard, the pomegranate fruit peel and clove rich of polyphenols was extracted by water and methanol and was intercalated into the layers of silica nanoparticles (montmorillonite) and his antifungal effect was tested via broth dilution method and agar well-diffusion method against blue mold fungi. The XRD, FTIR and DLS analyses confirmed completely intercalation of pomegranate peel extract into interlayer of montmorillonite. The results showed that in the broth dilution method, nanosilica particles alone had antifungal effect similar to commercial fungicide. And intercalation extract into nanoparticles did not affect its antifungal effects. In the contrast,, in agar well-diffusion method, intercalation the extract into nanoparticles increased its inhibitory effect very significantly (p