Synthesis of barium ferrite nanoparticles using rhizome extract of Acorus Calamus: Characterization and its efficacy against different plant phytopathogenic fungi

Abstract

A green technology for producing barium ferrite (BaFe12O19) nanoparticles (BFNP’s) using Acorus Calamus rhizome extract was realized. To confirm the phase of magnetoplumbite structure without any impurities, the method of powder X-ray diffraction was performed using the Rietveld analysis and the FullProf program with the P63/mmc (No. 194) space group. Unit cell parameters were a = 5.8902(2) Å and c = 23.2103(7) Å. According to Scherrer’s calculations, the average crystallite size was from ∼ 32 to ∼ 35 nm. The results of scanning electron microscopy confirmed that synthesized BFNP’s are tightly packed and have an average grain size of ∼ 70 nm. Raman and IR active modes predicted by group theory are observed at ∼ 175 cm−1 and ∼ 677 cm−1, which corresponds to the presence of a spinel structure and trigonal pyramidal position in barium hexaferrite. It was established that the spontaneous magnetization is ∼ 52 emu/g and coercive force is ∼ 440 mT at room temperature. In vitro studies were performed to evaluate the antifungal activity of BFNP’s against various plant pathogenic fungi, namely: Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Marssonina rosae. The antifungal effect of BFNPs was determined for different phytopathogenic fungi at a multiple dose of 200 mg/L, 300 mg/L, 400 mg/L, 500 mg/L and 600 mg/L. The maximum inhibition of mycelial growth (76.67%) was detected at 600 mg/L against the growth of Fusarium oxysoporum mycelium. The data obtained show that BFNP’s synthesized using Acorus Calamus rhizome extract can be applied as a potential antifungal agent.