Biosynthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from Trichoderma harzianum
V. H. Tandle
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Latur, (VNMKV, Parbhani) Maharashtra, India.
R. A. Chavan
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Ambajogai, (VNMKV, Parbhani) Maharashtra, India.
Sunita. J. Magar
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Latur, (VNMKV, Parbhani) Maharashtra, India.
V. B. Gitte
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Latur, (VNMKV, Parbhani) Maharashtra, India.
A. B. Kamble
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Latur, (VNMKV, Parbhani) Maharashtra, India.
V. S. Hande *
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Latur, (VNMKV, Parbhani) Maharashtra, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To investigate the biosynthesis and characterisation of silver nanoparticles from Trichoderma harzianum.
Study Design: Completely randomised design (CRD).
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Latur, Maharashtra, India. The study was carried out during 2025–2026.
Methodology: A seven-day-old culture of T. harzianum was grown in potato dextrose broth. The fungal biomass was separated by filtration, and the cell-free culture filtrate was used for extracellular synthesis. The fungal filtrate was reacted with 1 mM silver nitrate, and the reaction was monitored for nanoparticle formation. Culture filtrates obtained at different incubation periods were compared, and the 15-day-old filtrate was used for characterisation. UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and TEM were employed to characterise the synthesised AgNPs.
Results: The culture filtrate showed progressive colour development with increasing culture age. Following reaction with 1 mM AgNO3, the solution changed from colourless to brown, indicating AgNP formation. UV-visible analysis showed a distinct surface plasmon resonance peak at 440 nm. FTIR analysis showed prominent bands at 3332.99, 2303.01, 1637.56 and 410.84 cm−1, suggesting the participation of hydroxyl/amino, organic metabolite, amide/carbonyl and metal-ligand-associated groups. TEM revealed predominantly nanoscale particles with a reported size range of 12.58–65.23 nm.
Conclusion: T. harzianum culture filtrate provided an extracellular biological route for AgNP synthesis. The combined UV-visible, FTIR and TEM results supported nanoparticle formation and indicated that extracellular fungal biomolecules were involved in reduction and stabilisation.
Keywords: Trichoderma harzianum, silver nanoparticles, mycosynthesis, culture filtrate, UV-Visible spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM