Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Cassia absus leaf extract and evaluation of their biofertilizer potential and in vitro antibacterial activity against phytopathogens
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, 26000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
- 2Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, 26000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. [email protected]
- 3Department of Chemistry, Hazara University Mansehra, Mansehra, Pakistan
- 4Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan, 45142, Saudi Arabia
- 5Institute of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, 40100, Pakistan
- 6Department of Zoology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, 26000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
- 7Department of Physical Sciences, Physics Division, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan, 45142, Saudi Arabia. [email protected]
- 8Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone. [email protected]
- 9Environment and Nature Research Centre, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan, 45142, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Conventional agriculture on chemical fertilizers and pesticides has serious environmental and health implications. This necessitates the development of more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. This study aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Cassia absus leaf extract via a green synthesis approach and evaluate their dual role as biofertilizers and biopesticides in sustainable agriculture. The biosynthesized ZnONPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis. A characteristic absorption peak at 355 nm confirmed nanoparticle (NP) formation, whereas XRD analysis revealed a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a crystallite size of 45-55 nm. SEM analysis showed spherical to quasi-spherical NPs with an average size of 75 nm, whereas DLS indicated a hydrodynamic diameter of 83.5 nm and a zeta potential of + 48.7 mV, confirming excellent colloidal stability. The in vitro antibacterial activity of ZnONPs was evaluated against the phytopathogens Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. Significant inhibition zones of 20 mm, 18 mm, and 27.5 mm, respectively, were observed, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 30, 40, and 20 µg/mL. In pot experiments using Capsicum annuum, ZnONPs significantly enhanced plant growth parameters, including plant height, leaf length, and leaf width, with up to a 37% improvement observed at moderate concentrations (5 µg/10 mL). These results demonstrate that ZnONPs offer an effective dual strategy for enhancing plant growth and controlling bacterial pathogens, making them promising candidates for sustainable agricultural applications.
Related
- Sustainable Synthesis of MgO Nanoparticles from Clerodendrum inerme Bast Fiber Extract: Physicochemical Characterization and Antibacterial Performance
- Ultrasonic-assisted green synthesis of schiff base-functionalized CdS nanoparticles with enhanced optical, anticancer, and antibacterial properties
- Screening Endophytic Fungi of Australian Indigenous Plants for Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Properties
- Synthesis, characterization, and in vitro and in silico antibacterial evaluation of 5-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine
- Green Synthesis of ZnO/Fe2O3 Nanocomposites Using Urtica dioica Extract: Evaluation of Photocatalytic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activities
BibTeX
@article{iqbal2026green,
title = {{Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Cassia absus leaf extract and evaluation of their biofertilizer potential and in vitro antibacterial activity against phytopathogens}},
author = {Hassan Iqbal and Zia Ur Rehman and Muhammad Jamil and Nigar Ahmad and Yehia Hazzazi and Nasir Assad and Rahila Malik and Musawir Ahmad and Mohammad Shariq and Ahmed Vandy and Mukul Sharma},
journal = {Discover Nano},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1186/s11671-026-04728-x},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-026-04728-x},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Cassia absus leaf extract and evaluation of their biofertilizer potential and in vitro antibacterial activity against phytopathogens
AU - Hassan Iqbal
AU - Zia Ur Rehman
AU - Muhammad Jamil
AU - Nigar Ahmad
AU - Yehia Hazzazi
AU - Nasir Assad
AU - Rahila Malik
AU - Musawir Ahmad
AU - Mohammad Shariq
AU - Ahmed Vandy
AU - Mukul Sharma
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/23
JO - Discover Nano
DO - 10.1186/s11671-026-04728-x
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-026-04728-x
AB - Conventional agriculture on chemical fertilizers and pesticides has serious environmental and health implications. This necessitates the development of more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. This study aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Cassia absus leaf extract via a green synthesis approach and evaluate their dual role as biofertilizers and biopesticides in sustainable agriculture. The biosynthesized ZnONPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis. A characteristic absorption peak at 355 nm confirmed nanoparticle (NP) formation, whereas XRD analysis revealed a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a crystallite size of 45-55 nm. SEM analysis showed spherical to quasi-spherical NPs with an average size of 75 nm, whereas DLS indicated a hydrodynamic diameter of 83.5 nm and a zeta potential of + 48.7 mV, confirming excellent colloidal stability. The in vitro antibacterial activity of ZnONPs was evaluated against the phytopathogens Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. Significant inhibition zones of 20 mm, 18 mm, and 27.5 mm, respectively, were observed, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 30, 40, and 20 µg/mL. In pot experiments using Capsicum annuum, ZnONPs significantly enhanced plant growth parameters, including plant height, leaf length, and leaf width, with up to a 37% improvement observed at moderate concentrations (5 µg/10 mL). These results demonstrate that ZnONPs offer an effective dual strategy for enhancing plant growth and controlling bacterial pathogens, making them promising candidates for sustainable agricultural applications.
SN - 2731-9229
ER -