Developing an innovative tool to enhance the biological activity of active substances for the control of fungal diseases in Vitis vinifera L.

The research investigates the application of biomimetic calcium phosphate as innovative delivery system for grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) protection purposes. This smart material was successfully studied in the biomedical field, from the functionalization of biomimetic calcium phosphate with anti-cancer molecules for localized releases, to the development of an innovative toothpaste for oral hygiene. Preliminary assays to implement the control of the grapevine fungal diseases, have revealed promising results. In this framework, the biomimetic inorganic hydroxyapatite was investigated as potential delivery system of bioactive substances allowed in organic agriculture for plant protection. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the study was aimed to evaluate the efficiency of hydroxyapatite in enhancing the biological activity of copper(II) compounds, on the control of relevant common diseases, like downy mildew, and complex fungal diseases, such as the grapevine trunk diseases. This aim is related to further ambitious goals: the significant reduction of the fungicides amounts applied in plant protection and the optimization of the distribution and persistence of the bioactive substances in the plant tissues, including the vascular ones, where harmful pathogens can develop. Overall, the experimental activities allowed: (i) to understand the interaction between delivery system, functional substance and grapevine tissues; (ii) to demonstrate the mechanism on which the higher efficacy of the functional substance is based; (iii) to collect new information on the mechanisms involved in the symptoms expression by studying the plant defense reactions induced by the treatments.