Satureja montana Essential Oil, Zein Nanoparticles and Their Combination as a Biocontrol Strategy to Reduce Bacterial Spot Disease on Tomato Plants

Tomato bacterial spot (Bs), caused by Xanthomonas spp., including X. euvesicatoria (Xeu) remains a major threat for tomato production. The emergence of copper resistance strains Xeu calls urgently eco-friendly phytosanitary treatments as sustainable green alternatives disease control. Satureja spp. essential oil (EO) has antimicrobial activity against xanthomonads and combined with zein nanoparticles (ZNPs), might offer viable option field applications. This study aims to evaluate the effects S. montana EO, ZNPs, their combination in nanoformulation, on quantity, how these compounds modulate molecular physiological changes pathosystem. Uninfected infected plants (var. Oxheart) were treated EO; ZNPs nanoformulation (EO + ZNPs). Treatments reduced amount minimum 1.6-fold maximum 202-fold (ZNPs) improved plants’ health. Nanoformulation increased phenolic content. significantly GPX CAT activity. Overall upregulated transcripts phenylpropanoid pathway plants, while those uninfected plants. Both sod aao downregulated These findings demonstrate that are suitable integrate management strategies, mainly due Xeu, however further studies clarifying long-term action products required. results also support prophylactic potential spot.