Wheat leaf rust control through biofabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles

Wheat is among the top food crops and its production needs to be increased to tackle food security. In the developing world subsistence farmers are often unaware of resistant wheat varieties and cannot afford expensive fungicides. This study was designed to evaluate anti-fungal potential of biofabricated Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) to control leaf rust of wheat. Wheat variety Morocco was used because of its susceptibility to all known strains of Puccini triticina, the causal agent of wheat leaf rust. The green technology based ZnO NPs were prepared. Six treatments varying from 25 to 150 ppm of ZnO NPs concentrations were used. Treatments T4 to T7 provided a high level of protection against leaf rust. This technology will be useful for subsistence/organic farmers and will help them to avoid environmental pollution. The large-scale production of ZnO NPs is feasible and can lead to commercialization for broad-acre farmers.