Antiviral Activity of 2-Nitromethyl Phenol, Zinc Nanoparticles and Seaweed Extract Against Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in Eggplant

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) considers the most important viral pathogen affecting the production of vegetable crops all over the world. The potentials of 2-nitromethyl phenol, zinc nanoparticles and an extract (0.2%) of the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (SW) to reduce disease severity and incidence of Cucumber mosaic virus were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Disease severity and incidence were significantly reduced in eggplants treated with 2-nitromethyl phenol, zinc nanoparticles and seaweed extract. CMV symptoms were suppressed in treated plants compared with the non-treated control. Coat protein of CMV was not discovered in treated plants in comparison with control plants. CMV titre was significantly reduced in plants treated with 2-nitromethyl phenol, zinc nanoparticles and seaweed extract using ELISA. The amounts of total phenols and free phenols were significantly increased in treated plants after virus inoculation compared with control plants. All treatments exhibited significantly increased growth and yield parameters of eggplants relatively to control plants. This is the first report of the antiviral activity of seaweed extract against plant viruses.