ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Potential Antifungal Effects of D. malabarica
Assisted Zinc Oxide and Silver Nanoparticles
against Sheath Blight Disease of Rice Caused by
Rhizoctonia solani
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1
Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
2
Plant Protection Division, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Pakistan
Submission date: 2022-02-19
Final revision date: 2022-05-12
Acceptance date: 2022-05-14
Online publication date: 2022-07-04
Publication date: 2022-09-28
Corresponding author
Shumaila Kiran
Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan, Dept of Applied Chemistry, Government College Univ, 38000, Faislabad, Pakistan
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(5):4669-4679
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ABSTRACT
The plant based synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) has become a promising substitute
to the conventional chemical synthesis methods that involved the environmental hazardous chemicals.
This study is designed to evaluate the antifungal potential of Diospyros malabarica leaves assisted
zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver (Ag) NPs as an eco-friendly green route against R. solani causing
sheath blight disease of rice. The physicochemical characteristics of ZnO and Ag-NPs were studied
using the UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray
(EDX) spectroscopy. The Ag-NPs showed a phenomenal peak at 416 nm. The morphology of ZnO
and Ag-NPs was observed using SEM as they were spherical in shape with a few agglomeration
and smooth surface. The EDX elemental detection spectrum showed that both the ZnO
and Ag-NPs were in pure form. The antifungal in vitro assay was performed using poison food
technique against R. solani. The findings of growth inhibition assay have shown that R. solani was
more sensitive to the Ag-NPs (61.8%) as compared to ZnO-NPs (51.1 %). It can be concluded that
plant assisted NPs could be possible alternative for the inhibition of fungal plant disease contrary
to the synthetic fungicides in biological domains. Overall, this study suggested that plant assisted
ZnO and Ag-NPs can be an attractive and green candidate to control rice fungal disease. This study
may perhaps strengthen a new green chemistry approach for environmental science and biomedical
applications.