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

Abstract 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. Graphical Abstract