Green Synthesis of Silver and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Neem Leaves for Growth Enhancement and Phomopsis Blight Control in Brinjal

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops of the Solanaceae family, valued for its nutritional and medicinal properties but severely affected by Phomopsis blight, causing heavy yield losses. The present study evaluated the efficacy of green-synthesized silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles from neem leaves, along with plant extracts and fungicide, on seed germination, seedling mortality, and growth parameters of brinjal under field conditions during 2022–23 and 2023–24. Results revealed that all treatments significantly improved germination, shoot and root length, as well as fresh and dry biomass compared to control. Among treatments, Ag NPs @100 ppm (T3) consistently performed best, recording maximum germination (96%), longest shoot (62.10 cm) and root length (29.06 cm), highest shoot fresh weight (96.37 g) and root fresh weight (15.80 g), and maximum dry biomass, showing substantial increases over control. ZnO NPs @100 ppm (T6) ranked second, followed by Ag and ZnO NPs @75 ppm, while fungicide (SAAF) showed moderate effects and plant extracts were least effective. The findings highlight the superior potential of green-synthesized nanoparticles as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides for enhancing growth and vigor of brinjal plants.