Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles from Schefflera arboricola extract to enhance onion resistance to downy mildew, promote growth, and contribute to sustainability

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt.

2 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Horus University, 34518, Egypt.

Abstract

This research focused on the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-Sca-NPs) using Schefflera arboricola extract and evaluated their efficacy against onion downy mildew (Peronospora destructor). GC-MS analysis of the plant extract revealed caffeic acid (80.69%) as the major compound, indicating strong antioxidant potential. SEM, TEM, XRD, and FTIR analyses confirmed spherical nanoparticles (<80 nm) with a crystalline hexagonal structure and ZnO bonds, validating their successful synthesis. Field experiments showed dose-dependent reductions in disease severity, with 100 mg/L ZnO-Sca-NPs achieving 11.24 and 13.54% severity and 82.29 and 76.26% efficacy across two seasons, along with improved bulb yield and phenolic content. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed the induction of a ~48 kDa protein band, suggesting activation of plant defense proteins. Cytotoxicity testing of ZnO-Sca-NPs on primary human uterine fibroblast cells indicated acceptable biocompatibility at ≤50 mg/L. Overall, ZnO-Sca-NPs demonstrated effective antifungal activity, growth promotion, and defense activation, supporting their viability as eco-compatible replacements for traditional fungicides.

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