Effect of ex situ, eco-friendly ZnONPs incorporating green synthesised Moringa oleifera leaf extract in enhancing biochemical and molecular aspects of Vicia faba L. under salt stress

Abstract

Abstract Nevertheless, the growing salt stress in arable areas poses a significant threat to agricultural production. The current study utilised zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using an extract obtained from the leaves of Moringa oleifera (MOLe). The purpose was to reduce the detrimental effect of salinity on the Vicia faba L. (VF) cultivar (Nubaria 3). The biochemical and molecular characteristics of plants grown in saline settings were assessed 60 days after planting. The expression levels of plant defence genes polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POX) in VF leaves were analysed at different time points. The synthesised NPs improve osmotic protection in plants under salt stress by elevated levels of pigments involved in photosynthesis. In addition, there was a significant increase in the levels of biochemical parameters, such as total phenol, proline, and antioxidant enzyme activities. In addition, the use of MOLe and MOLe@ZnONPs on the plants resulted in an increase in ion content and a considerable rise in the expression of Vf POX and Vf PPO genes when exposed to salt conditions. The findings suggest that the use of MOLe and MOLe@ZnONPs was more efficient in aiding the plant to recover from the negative impact of salt stress.