Ebrahim Sedaghati - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University, Rafsanjan, Iran
Saeed Molaei - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University, Rafsanjan, Iran
Mehdi Molaei - Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Vali-e-Asr University, Rafsanjan., Iran
Nader Doraki - Rafsanjan Food Control Laboratory, Rafsanjan, Kerman, Iran

Background: Aspergillus parasiticus is one of the primary sources of aflatoxin contamination in agricultural crops,especially nuts. Aflatoxin contamination is one of the most challenging problems in the production and exportation ofpistachios.Materials and Methods: In this study, the antifungal effects of the silver-zinc mixture and silver nanoparticles on themycelia growth, spore germination and aflatoxin production of Aspergillus parasiticus have been evaluated.Results: The findings of the current study showed that the concentrations of ۱۲۵۰ ppm of Ag/Zn and ۱۰۰-۲۰۰ ppm of Agnanoparticles inhibit mycelia growth and the spore germination of Aspergillus parasiticus in liquid and solid mediasignificantly, but the concentration of ۲۵ ppm of both nanoparticles has no inhibitory effects on the A. pararsiticus growthparameter. The results showed that the rate of inhibitory effects depends on the type of the medium and nanoparticles, but thefungal isolate had no significant effects on nanoparticles’ inhibitory features.Conclusions: Ag/Zn nanoparticles had no regular effect on the reduction of aflatoxin production, yet Ag nanoparticlesreduced the production of aflatoxins, especially aflatoxins B۲ and G۲.

Antifungal, Inhibitory, Nanoparticle, Silver, zinc