Nanoparticles are microscopic fragments with a nanoscale dimension ranging from 1-100 nm, with excellent thermal conductivity, catalytic reactivity, nonlinear optical performance, and chemical stability due to their enormous surface area-to-volume ratio. Nanoparticles can be synthesized utilizing several processes, including chemical, physical, and biological. However, the chemical and physical methods used are costly, complex, and possibly harmful to the environment because of the toxic chemical compounds utilized as reducing agents. The synthesis of nanoparticles using green approaches may be easily scaled up, and they are also cost-effective. Because of their superior qualities, greenly coordinated nanoparticles are currently preferred over traditionally delivered NPs. Green synthesis approaches are particularly appealing due to their ability to reduce toxicity of nanoparticles. As a consequence, the usage of vitamins, amino acids, and plant extracts has become more common. Capping and reducing agents play a key role in nanoparticle synthesis while harmful and highly poisonous compounds are utilized in the chemical and physical methods which may cause environmental problems. The reducing or capping agents are costly which employed in chemical and physical procedures. The nanoparticles as a seed treatment can improve germination, increases seedling length, vigour, viability and improve seed quality. The present review is an attempt to summarize and assess the prospects of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as an alternative approach to improving seed quality through biosynthesized nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles, green synthesis, germination, vigour, viability and seed quality

The present review focused on biosynthesis utilizing leaf extract, characterisation of silver nanoparticles, and the effect of silver nanoparticles on seed quality parameters. It is believed that many natural chemicals found in plant extracts work as reducing and stabilizing agents during the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. AgNPs increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase, as well as glutathione and ascorbate levels in seeds and crop plants. As a result, green-mediated silver nanoparticles have various advantages, including improved germination percentage, root-shoot length, dry matter content, net photosynthesis, growth, yield, lower electrical conductivity, and reduced microbial infection, etc. Another advantage is that silver nanoparticles are environmentally friendly and cost-effective, resulting in an assumption that they will play an important role in seed science technology for quality enhancement in the future.

Wankhade N.J., Shelar V.R., Bhalerao B.M., Karjule A.P. and Jadhav V.B. (2023). Biosynthesis, Characterization and Application of Silver Nanoparticle (Ag NPs) to Enhance Seed Quality: A Review. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(12): 457-469.