New system for sustainable plant protection

Congratulations to Susanne Braun, Guilherme Dilarri, Letícia Novaes, Philipp Huth, Alexander Töpel, Larissa Hussmann, Alexander Boes, Miguel Divino da Rocha, Felix Jakob, Luis Octavio Regasini, Ulrich Schwaneberg, Henrique Ferreira, and Andrij Pich for their outstanding work, which has the potential to form the basis of a copper-free sustainable system for plant protection.

Their work contributes to DWI’s field of impact „Sustainable Materials“ and they have shown that...

... microgels decorated with anchor peptides exhibit strong non-covalent attachment to the surface of orange leaves and have the ability to release hexyl gallate, which inhibits the growth and spreading of the pathogen X. citri causing citrus canker.

... the tailored design of the microgel network allows high loadings of hexyl gallate (up to 40 wt.%) and a controlled release of gallates from microgels that provide long-term protection.

... the antibacterial activity of the hexyl gallate-loaded microgels is demonstrated by various in vitro assays as well as on orange plants in greenhouse settings.

Enjoy reading the article, published in Advanced Functional Materials.