Green-synthesized cobalt oxide nanoparticles for seed nanopriming enhance chickpea growth and suppress fusarium wilt

Abstract Background Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) productivity is severely constrained by Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, and eco-friendly seed treatments are needed. Cobalt oxide nanoparticles (CoO-NPs) were green-synthesized using Ficus carica leaf extract and characterized by UV–Vis, FTIR, TEM, EDS, DLS, zeta potential, XRD, and XPS analyses. Seeds were nanoprimed for 24 h with CoO-NP suspensions (0.2, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mg/L) or a distilled water control, grown for 25 days, and challenged with F. oxysporum. In vitro antifungal activity was assessed by disc diffusion. Data (n = 3 biological replicates) were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD (p