Green-Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Mitigate Salt Stress in Sorghum bicolor

Salinity is an abiotic stress that responsible for more than 50% of crop losses worldwide. Current strategies to overcome salinity in agriculture are limited the use genetically modified crops and chemicals including fertilizers, pesticides herbicides; however these costly can be hazardous human health environment. Green synthesis nanoparticles (NPs) eco-friendly cost-effective method, they might serve as novel biostimulants. This study investigated first time efficiency ZnO NPs, synthesized from Agathosma betulina mitigate salt Sorghum bicolor. Hexagonal wurtzite NPs about 27.5 nm, were obtained. seeds primed with (5 10 mg/L), prior planting on potting soil treatment high (400 mM NaCl). Salt significantly impaired growth by decreasing shoot lengths fresh weights, causing severe deformation anatomical (epidermis vascular bundle tissue) structure. Element distribution was also affected which increased Na+/K+ ratio (2.9). oxidative markers (reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde), enzyme activities (SOD, CAT APX), proline, soluble sugars. Priming stimulated salt-stressed sorghum plants, exhibited improved lengths, a well-arranged structure, well low (1.53 0.58) indicating element distribution. FTIR spectra confirmed reduction degradation biomolecules correlated reduced stress. strongly suggests green-synthesized A. potential biostimulants improve plant under