ZnO-S.cerevisiae: An effective growth promoter of Astragalus memeranaceus and nano-antifungal agent against Fusarium oxysporum

Astragalus memeranaceus has been widely used in health, and root rot is a common disease in its cultivation, which is caused by Fusarium oxysporum. ZnO- Saccharomyces. cerevisiae was synthesized and its antifungal activity against F.oxysporum was investigated in vitro and in vivo for the first time. It can directly inhibit pathogens by down-regulating physiological genes. In the plant experiment, the disease severity decreased in the ZnO-S. cerevisiae treated A.memeranaceus. Additionally, ZnO-S.cerevisiae increased the content of chlorophyll and Astragaloside IV, and improved the growth of A.memeranaceus seedlings. Furthermore, by analysis of muti-omic, activity of antioxidant enzymes and molecular docking, the obtained ZnO-S.cerevisiae could activate the antioxidant enzymes, improve antifungal metabolites and induce resistance genes in A.memeranaceus, indicating higher resistance of plants under biotic stresses. The multifunctional ZnO-S.cerevisiae with superior antifungal activity provides a promising alternative to the traditional antifungal agents and has great potential in plant protection.