Effect of silicon dioxide nanoparticles and bismuth oxide nanoparticles alone and in combination with Rhizobium leguminosarum on the growth, photosynthetic pigments and wilt disease complex of pea

Effect of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) and bismuth oxide nanoparticles (Bi₂O₃ NPs) were tested alone and with Rhizobium leguminosarum on the wilt disease complex of pea caused by Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi. Significant reductions in the plant growth, chlorophylls, carotenoid, and proline contents were observed when plants were inoculated with M. incognita, F. oxysporum f. sp. pisi or both together over un-inoculated control. The reductions in the above parameters were significantly greater in the dual pathogen inoculated pea plants. However, inoculation of R. leguminosarum increased the plant growth, chlorophylls, carotenoid and proline contents over plants without R. leguminosarum. Foliar spray of SiO₂ NPs, or Bi₂O₃ NPs on R. leguminosarum inoculated pea plants resulted in a greater increase in the above parameters over treatments with either NPs. Luxuriant root nodulation was recorded in plants applied with R. leguminosarum. However, both pathogens, alone or together adversely affected the nodulation. Wilt disease indices, galling and M. incognita population were significantly reduced due to treatments with SiO₂ NPs followed by R. leguminosearum and Bi₂O₃ NPs over control, and the highest effectiveness was recorded for foliar spray of SiO₂ NPs plus R. leguminosearum.