Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Chitosan: Biological Properties and Plant Protection Applications
Hazem S. Elshafie1, Kamal A. M. Abo-Elyousr2,3, Aniello Crescenzi1, Majid Sharifi-Rad4, Ippolito Camele1,*
1 Department of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (DAFE), University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
2 Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Assiut, Assiut, Egypt
3 Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
4 Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
* Corresponding Author: Ippolito Camele. Email: 
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Integrative Plant Responses to Bioactive Compounds and Emerging Technologies: From Molecular Mechanisms to Crop Performance)
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.088803
Received 09 July 2026; Accepted 02 September 2026; Published online 15 September 2026
Abstract
Plant protection is essential for safeguarding global food security, as plant pathogens and diseases are among the major causes of annual crop losses worldwide. Conventional chemical pesticides have been extensively employed to manage these challenges; however, their intensive and indiscriminate use can pose serious risks to human health, animal welfare, and environmental quality. Therefore, the development of safer, eco-friendly, and sustainable alternatives has become increasingly imperative. In this regard, natural biopolymers have shown promise as candidates for sustainable plant protection strategies. Chitosan (CTS), a natural biopolymer derived primarily from the deacetylation of chitin (CTN) obtained from crustacean shells, insects, and fungal cell walls, has attracted considerable attention due to its remarkable biological properties. However, conventional CTS extraction relies on chemical processes that can negatively affect the environment and human health. Thus, green extraction approaches have attracted considerable interest as simpler, more economical, and environmentally safer methods for biopolymer production. Green-synthesized CTN and its derivative CTS exhibit promising antimicrobial activity against several phytopathogens through dual mechanisms involving direct pathogen inhibition and indirect stimulation of plant immune responses, making them potential alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the sources, physicochemical characteristics, and green extraction approaches of CTN and CTS, with particular emphasis on their antimicrobial efficacy and applications in sustainable plant protection. Their favorable biocompatibility further broadens their applicability in agricultural, pharmaceutical, and food preservation sectors. Green synthesis approaches represent a significant advancement toward sustainable biopolymer production. Nevertheless, further research is required to optimize extraction processes, enhance bioactive performance, and elucidate mechanisms of action, thereby realizing their potential as multifunctional agents for plant health and broader biotechnological applications.
Keywords
Biopolymers; natural products; antimicrobial agents; plant protection; degree of deacetylation; biopesticide; induced systemic resistance
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