RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Potato is one of the world's leading vegetable crops. Potato viral diseases cause adversely effects on the agricultural sector. Recently there is a growing interest to control plant viruses using spices and herbs (including curcumin). Poor solubility of curcumin in water limited its applications. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of antiviral activity of curcumin-milk proteins nanoparticles against potato virus Y (PVY). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Curcumin-milk proteins nanoparticles were prepared via ionic gelation method. The antiviral activity of the resultant nanoparticles against PVY was evaluated at different concentrations (500, 1000 and 1500 mg/100 mL). Chlorophyll content as well as the activity of peroxidase (POX) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was examined. RESULTS: Curcumin-milk proteins nanoparticles showed inhibitory effect on PVY in a concentration dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Curcumin-milk proteins nanoparticles displayed a successful tool to control the PVY under green house conditions.