A comparative study of the antiviral effects of biogenic silver nanoparticles and nanosilica (nSiO2) against Leek yellow stripe virus on Allium sativum L

Abstract Garlic is a highly valued cash crop worldwide, but its economic value can be diminished by Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV), which causes symptoms in infected plants and reduces yields. The presence of LYSV was confirmed by host range, DAS-ELISA, RT‒PCR, and DNA sequencing. This study aimed to evaluate the antiviral potential of biogenic silver nanoparticles ( Cz -AgNPs) and chemically synthesized metal nanosilica (nSiO 2 ) against LYSV-Eg (OR343513.1) isolates. The morphological structure of the biogenic and metal nanoparticles was evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, and UV‒visible spectrum analysis. The inhibitory percentages of both nanoparticles were determined daily by monitoring symptom development and weekly by DAS-ELISA in comparison with both negative and positive controls. RT‒PCR was used to verify LYSV inhibition in garlic/nano treated plants at the end of the experiment. The results showed that foliar application of 300 µg/ml Cz -AgNPs and/or 3.0 mg/ml nSiO 2 48 h post-virus inoculation inhibited the virus significantly by 90% and 95%, respectively. The combined therapy of both 300 µg/ml Cz -AgNPs and 3.0 mg/ml nSiO 2 also resulted in a high inhibitory effect (95%) when applied 48 h post-virus inoculation. However, the inhibitory effects of the combined treatment were not significantly different from the individual treatments at the same concentrations. Furthermore, the application of Cz -AgNPs and nSiO 2 , whether individually or in combination, did not result in a significant growth-promoting effect in garlic plants compared to the AgNO 3 treatment. This study demonstrated that nano therapy has the potential to manage viral infections in garlic plants. This highlights their potential for eco-friendly disease control.