Efficacy of silver nanoparticles from Fusarium solani and mycorrhizal inoculation for biological control of Fusarium wilt in tomato

The present study investigates the characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using Fusarium solani and their impact on tomato seed germination, plant growth, and disease resistance. A visible color change from yellow to dark smoky indicated the formation of AgNPs, while UV-visible spectrophotometry revealed an absorbance peak at 437 nm, confirming their presence. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed that the AgNPs ranged from 0 to 39.27 nm in size, with an average height of 5.772 nm, while scanning electron microscopy highlighted their diverse surface morphology. The application of AgNPs and mycorrhizal fungi significantly improved tomato seed germination rates, plant height, and dry weight compared to untreated plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum. The germination rate increased to 81.15% with mycorrhizal fungi and 80.02% with AgNPs treatment alone, compared to 35.63% in infected plants. Plant height also increased, reaching 17.95 cm in mycorrhiza-treated plants and 17.08 cm in those treated with AgNPs. Furthermore, the dry weight and chlorophyll content were significantly higher in treated plants, with mycorrhizal-inoculated plants showing a dry weight of 0.63 g and a chlorophyll content of 28.53 mg/g. AgNP treatment similarly enhanced these parameters infection severity of F. oxysporum was reduced, with the lowest rate observed in plants receiving both AgNPs and mycorrhizal treatments. These results indicate that AgNPs and mycorrhizal fungi offer effective protection against fungal pathogens while promoting overall plant health, highlighting their potential for use in sustainable agricultural practices.