Exploration of Ascochyta rabiei diversity through various molecular tools and control of its pathogenic strain via green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles

Abstract

Fungus is the most important disease-causing biotic factor on earth. The study of their genetic diversity is very important for their management and control. For studying Ascochyta rabiei on chickpea blight chickpea samples caused by Ascochyta rabiei were collected and disease-causing organisms were isolated from infected plant parts and their ITS region was sequenced. BLAST analysis revealed that A. rabiei is the causal pathogen of this blight disease. Phylogenetic analysis suggested great diversity among these isolates of A. rabiei. The results confirm that A. rabiei strains collected from Bannu and Lakki Marwat have genetic similarities but are different from other isolated strains of the same species. Similarly, studied strains from Kamber, Shadat Kot, and Larkana. Khairpur and Bhakkar were also similar. However, strains from Khushab and Mianwali showed genetic differences from each other. The current research also reports the plant-mediated synthesis of ZnO NPs via the plant extract of Thevetia peruviana. The ZnO NPs were characterized through UV, XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX, and the size of the nanoparticle of 28 nm was calculated. The prepared nanoparticle was used for the antifungal activity against the most severe strain of A. rabiei. The Biosynthesis of ZnO NPs by plant assets is an eco-friendly, consistent process and appropriate for extensive production.