ANTIFUNGAL PROPERTIES OF PILLOSTIGMA THONNINGII SYNTHESIZED SILVER NANOPARTICLES AGAINST FUSARIUM PROLIFERATUM IN RICE

Rice, one of the world’s most vital staple crops, serves as a primary food source for over half of the global population. However, it is susceptible to fungal contaminants, such as Fusarium species, at various stages of the food supply chain, posing significant health risks. This study is aimed at investigating the antifungal activity of the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles against Fusarium proliferatum isolated from Rice. Piliostigma thonningii leaf extract was utilized to synthesize and optimize AgNPs using various conditions. Qualitative Phytochemical analysis of the plant extract, along with the isolation and determination of fungal profile and antifungal activity were carried out using standard procedures. The plant extract contains bioactive compounds, including tannins, flavonoids and phenols. AgNPs were successfully synthesized under optimal conditions with UV-vis spectra of SNP1, 2, 3, 4, 5 showing characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at (302, 304.7, 348, 352 and 341) nm with corresponding particle sizes of 68.23 – 114.2 d.nm. The fungal profile revealed the presence of various species in rice samples, including Aspergillus species Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium proliferatum. The microbial load of the samples showed varying levels of fungal contamination in the range of 2 - 26 x103 CFU/ml. The antifungal activity showed SNP2, SNP3, and SNP4 exhibiting zones of inhibition of 10±0.00 mm, 11±0.00 mm, and 11.67±1.53 mm, respectively. These findings demonstrate that AgNPs possess antifungal activity against Fusarium proliferatum, highlighting their potential as an alternative treatment for fungal contamination in crops.