Abstract
Abstract Green-synthesized nanoparticles have a tremendous antimicrobial potential to be used as an alternative to hazardous fungicides. In this study, the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was performed by using Moringa oleifera leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized AgNPs were subjected to different characterization techniques. UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed the surface plasmon resonance band in the range of 400–450 nm, and zeta analysis revealed that the synthesized AgNPs ranged 4–30 nm in size. Scanning electron microscopy depicted tiny fused rectangular segments and the crystalline nature of the synthesized AgNPs was confirmed using X-ray diffraction. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) detector confirmed the presence of metallic silver ions. Fourier-transform infrared analysis revealed the presence of phenols as main reducing agents in the plant extract. Foliar application of different concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm) of AgNPs was applied on wheat plants inoculated with Puccinia striiformis to assess the disease incidence against stripe rust disease. AgNPs at a conc. of 75 ppm were found to be more effective against wheat stripe rust disease. Furthermore, the application of AgNPs enhanced morpho-physiological attributes and reduced nonenzymatic compounds and antioxidant enzymes in wheat. The present study highlights the potential role of the green-synthesized AgNPs as a biological control of yellow rust disease.
Highlights
Wheat is one of the most dominant and vital cereal crops
Yellow rust appears as a cluster of deep orange–yellowish urediniospores, which explode from the ripened pustules present on leaves and spikes of an infected plant [11,12,13,14]
This study aims to estimate the antifungal and antioxidant effects of the green-synthesized AgNPs in response to P. striiformis stress, morphological, physico-chemical profiling, and antioxidant enzymes to evaluate the resistance produced in wheat
Summary
Wheat is one of the most dominant and vital cereal crops. It is regarded as a staple food after rice because of its consumption by more than 40% of overall population of world [1]. Yellow or stripe rust triggered by a fungus Puccinia striiformis is the chief biotic stress and destructive pathogen of wheat. It is the core cause for the decline in the crop production from a decrease between 20% and 50%, depending on the season, area, and the stage of wheat growth [8]. About 71% of the total 9.1 million hectares of wheat growing area in Pakistan is targeted by this disease [15], being accountable for approximately 13 epidemics during various time periods, causing huge financial and economic losses in the country [5]. It has been proved to enormously helping out the agricultural field and its narrated issues, resulting in an immense improvement in comparison to the conventionally used ways [17,18,19,20]
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