Lorena Altoé - Departamento de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa - MG, Brasil
Kairon de Oliveira - Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa - MG, Brasil
Ethe Costa - Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa - MG, Brasil
Geovane Gudin - Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa - MG, Brasil
Andreza Subtil - Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa - MG, Brasil
Jackson de Araújo - Departamento de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa - MG, Brasil

Nematophagous fungi are widely utilized for biological control against both helminths and their intermediate hosts. This study investigates the fungus Monacrosporium thaumasium's potential in synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The efficacy of a crude extract from an M. thaumasium isolate (strain NF۳۴) combined with silver nitrate (AgNO۳) was tested on egg masses of Biomphalaria glabrata, serving as a model for embryotoxicity. The experiment followed a completely randomized design, with treatments containing AgNPs (in various proportions) and a control group with dechlorinated water maintained at ۲۵ °C for ten days. Results indicate that M. thaumasium effectively produces AgNPs, causing ۱۰۰% inhibition in exposed snail egg masses. The experimental results indicate that the fungus exhibits a potential molecular mechanism for nanoparticle formation, along with demonstrating embryotoxic activity in snail egg masses. These findings underscore the importance of further investigating this action and the underlying mechanism to provide potential applications in biological control.

gastropods, host control, biosynthesis