Application of agro-waste-mediated silica nanoparticles to sustainable agriculture

Use of green agronomic techniques for plant development and crop protection is essential for environmental sustainability. The current research investigates a more efficient and long-term technique of manufacturing silica nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) from agricultural waste (sugarcane bagasse and corn cob). SiO₂ NPs were synthesized by calcinations of waste residues in muffle furnace with varying temperatures (400-1000 °C)/2 h in the present of static air. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize SiO₂ NPs and assessed for their antifungal activity simultaneously investigated the effects of various concentrations of produced SiO₂ NPs on Eruca sativa (E. sativa) physiological and biochemical. With SiO₂ NPs treatment at 1000 µg L^-1 concentration, the seed germination rate was found to be up to 95.5%, and growth characteristics were enhanced compared to control. Accordingly, the ones treated with SiO₂ NPs grew better than the control ones. The treatment of plant with SiO₂ NPs (500 μg L^-1) increased the protein content by 14.8 mg g^-1, and chlorophyll level was also increased by 4.08 mg g^-1 in leaves compared to untreated plant. Disc diffusion experiment was conducted to test the efficiency of SiO₂ NPs against Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus niger for antifungal activities. Highest mycelia growth inhibition was obtained with 73.42% and 58.92% for F. oxysporum and A. niger, respectively. The result shows that the SiO₂ NPs have a favorable effect on E. sativa growth and germination, enhancing plant production which helps to improve the sustainable agriculture farming and acting as a possible antifungal agent against plant pathogenic fungi.