Eco-synthesized ZnO Nanoparticles Pertaining to Agricultural Revolution: An Infection Curative and Plant Growth Promoter for Green Gram

The primary challenge for farmers at present is providing for an ever-increasing population while having little available land that is severely polluted. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit interesting properties and potential for applications in various disciplines, especially as nanomaterials in agriculture. In this study, to improve the quality of green gram (Vigna radiata) seeds and the first-time cultivation of green gram pods, ZnO NPs were synthesized using seaweed (Codium decorticatum) extract. Several investigations show that the synthesis procedure of ZnO NPs determines the physicochemical properties of ZnO NPs. The antimicrobial efficacy of plant pathogenic organisms such as Xanthomonas phaseoli, Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, Cercospora canescens, Rhizoctonia bataticola, and Ascochyta phaseolorum was examined using the agar well technique. X-ray diffraction, UV spectrum, and field emission scanning electron microscopy analyses were used to investigate the structural, optical, and morphological characteristics of the thus-synthesized NPs, respectively. These analyses demonstrated the crystal structure and the spherical shape of the NPs and showed that they ranged in size from 25 to 35 nm. The purity of the NPs and the functional moieties contributing to their efficient manufacturing and stability were investigated using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Green gram seeds were subjected to foliar treatments of various concentrations of the synthesized ZnO nano-fertilizer. Among these concentrations, the 20 mg/L ZnO nano-fertilizer resulted in the highest level of biochemical content and improvements in different growth metrics in plants. These results show that the biosynthesis of ZnO NPs was safe, effective, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, the thus-synthesized ZnO NPs showed strong antibacterial activity in plants. In addition, they were found to be efficient in improving the cultivation and production of green grams. Hence, these ZnO NPs show outstanding antibacterial activities and could be recommended as nano-fertilizers. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)