Nanomaterized zinc sulfide- meerschaum biomatrix (nZnS-MR) efficiently suppressed Fusarium verticilloides with augmented rice seed quality benefits during storage.

BACKGROUND Seed-borne mycopathogen, Fusarium verticilliodes, is solemn and deleterious pathogen causing substantial losses of rice seeds and grains. Rice seeds are prone to infestation at all points of the production chain and the fungal pathogen continues the dormant devastations even during storage, adversely affecting the seed parameters. Its control is bracketed due to non-availability of recommended fungicides during storage. Nanotechnological interventions can provide effective and ecofriendly itinerary against mycopathogens during resting period. Herein, zinc sulfide - meerschaum nano bio-matrix (nZnS-MR) is presented to prove the hypothesis, which worked splendid against F. verticilliodes, when applied on freshly harvested rice seeds for six months storage. RESULTS Healthy, smooth and rounded girth of F. verticilloides mycelium were shrunken with loss of turgidity, disrupting the hyphal exterior architecture during in vitro treatment with nZnS-MR, endorsed by staining methodology, crystal violet and intracellular soluble proteins leakage assays .In vivo application on rice seeds optimized 750 μg/g of nano zinc sulfide (nZnS) for six months application during storage with maximum reduction of disease parameters (seedling blight (1.19%) and seed rot (5.43 %)) and most augmented quality parameters (maximum germination (94.14%), seedling length (22.50 cm), dry weight (0.121g) and vigor index (11.37)). nZnS-MR acted as "sway release nanoformulation" of nZnS for the long term antifungal activity. CONCLUSION nZnS-MR is presented as ecofriendly, biocompatible, bio-efficient, "profertilizer" and cost effective "Green material" for the control of F. verticilliodes with rice seed invigoration describing it as new "nano-generation material" for efficient storage application. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.