Speakers - PMBWC2025

Biography

Zill-e-Huma Aftab is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. She has supervised more than 30 graduate and postgraduate students in Plant Pathology and has 40 impact factor publications in journals of international repute.

Abstract

The present research evaluated the potential of propiconazole-coated green-synthesized NPs from Sugarcane bagasse in the control of leaf spots caused by Alternaria alternata in Bottle Gourd.  ZnO NPs showed the polycrystalline behavior (100) as the most prominent peak in both coated and non-coated samples; however, less prominent peaks were observed at (110). Investigation on FTIR revealed that the absorption peaks of both samples were found to be around 3234 cm^-1 and 608 cm^-1. The band at 864cm^-1 resulted due to the tetrahedral formation of ZnO. UV spectra showed a high absorbance edge for each sample. An agar dilution method was used to screen different quantities of ZnO NPs at varying doses ranging from 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 mgL^-1 in the in-vitro antifungal assay against A. alternata. For the purpose of determining whether fungal growth was inhibited, the diameters of fungal colonies grown on ZnO NP-treated media were compared to those growing as a control. The percentage of fungal growth suppression at 11 mgL-1 was 98% in the case of nonconjugated ZnO NPs and almost 100% in the presence of propiconazole-conjugated ZnO NPs. Results of the Pot trial experiment at varying doses of NPs (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 mg/L) for the management of Leaf spot revealed significant pathogen control and enhanced plant growth and productivity at 60-90 mgL-1 in the case of Propiconazole conjugated ZnO NPs. The outcomes demonstrated the enormous potential of propiconazole-conjugated ZnO NPs as a biocontrol agent for the management of Leaf spots of bottle gourd, particularly at lower concentrations.