No abstract

No abstract

Agriculture waste has attracted attention as a potential source to produce raw material silicon dioxide, either crystalline (pyrophyllite) or amorphous form (geothermal sludge). It is an unwanted waste produced as a desired result of agricultural activities. Nanosilicon dioxide has undoubtedly gained eager interest in many vital industries. It is renowned for positively enhancing outstanding performance due to tuneable properties over its bulk counterpart. Silicon dioxide scientifically demonstrates a unique ability to convert efficiently into economic value from silicon-rich agriculture waste. Thus, a noble extraction from silicon-rich waste is undoubtedly gaining enormous attention. However, adequate knowledge on local optimisation of nanosilicon dioxide extraction from silicon-rich agriculture waste is lacking. Specific aims of this comprehensive review mainly highlighted a synthesis method of potential nanostructured silicon dioxide from agriculture waste and their potential applications for plant growth promoters. Reverse microemulsion, chemical vapour condensation, solid gelation, and mechanochemical are preferred methods that were typically specified to focus this comprehensive review critically. Optimisation of nanosilicon dioxide can be achieved precisely via the ideal combination of solid gelation and a high-energy ball mill process. Silicon dioxide is undoubtedly an effective agent as a plant growth promoter to overcome biotic and abiotic factors such as heavy metal uptake and translocation, inhibit pathogenic fungi, improve the antioxidant system, and mitigate various stress factors.

Green nanoparticles are receiving great attention due to their broad fields of application. Plant extracts are promising sources, since the synergizing process is easy and cost-effective. Green synergism offers safer nanomaterials for both human health and the environment. The antimicrobial application of prepared nanoparticles is due to special capabilities at the nanoscale size. Green zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) from lemongrass and turmeric revealed good antibacterial properties. Antibacterial active compounds were extracted from lemongrass and turmeric using methanol as a solvent. The extracts were introduced to zinc oxide solution to create synergized green ZnONPs and tested for their antibacterial properties. The samples were characterized by means of XRD, SEM, FTIR, and GC-MS. The zones of inhibition of synergized green ZnONPs were successfully measured using the disc diffusion method. The findings using gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. showed a higher antibacterial inhibition zone, with a diameter of 1.6 cm. The gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus., showed low antibacterial inhibition. The addition of ZnO had positively revealed greater inhibition. Green ZnONPs synthesized using plant extracts will be further tested for various applications. HIGHLIGHTS Green zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) prepared from lemongrass and turmerics Plant extracts are significant in reducing and stabilizing metallic ions The synergism of ZnONPs was successfully prepared from plant extract active and evaluated for their antibacterial activity using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli The zones of inhibition of synergized green ZnONPs measured using the disc diffusion method showed a higher antibacterial inhibition zone Antibacterial activity revealed the potential applications of green synergism of ZnONPs for treatment of contaminated water, medical applications, and cosmetics GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Background Malaysia is strongly supported by the agriculture sector as the backbone to drive the economy. However, COVID-19 has significantly affected agriculture across the production, supply, and marketing chains. It also disturbs the balance of food supply and demand in Malaysia. COVID-19 was an unexpected pandemic that resulted in shock and panic and caused a huge global impact. However, the impacts of this pandemic on the agriculture sector in Malaysia, particularly in the production and supply chains, are still unclear and scarce. This review offers insights into the challenges, particularly in sustaining agri-food production and supply chains. It also highlights the opportunity and relevant measures towards sustainability in agriculture to avoid agri-food disasters in the future. Methods This study was carried out through a desk review of the secondary source of information covering the impact of COVID-19 in Malaysia particularly in the agri-food aspect, and a wide range of strategies and initiatives as the effective measures to overcome the crisis of this pandemic. Online desk research of the government published data and customer desk research were utilized to complete this study. Search engines such as Google Scholar and the statistical data from the official websites including the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) and the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region (FFTC-AP), were utilized. Keywords such as impact of COVID-19, pandemic, and agri-food supply chain were used to conduct the searches. The articles identified to be related to the study’s objective were then downloaded and included in the study. Descriptive methods were used as the primary analysis technique following the descriptive analysis and visual data analysis in performing the sources obtained. Results This devastating impact damages the lives by causing 4.3 million confirmed infections and more than 290,000 deaths. This disease presents an unprecedented challenge to the public health. The lockdown restriction under the movement control order (MCO), for more than of the world’s population in the year 2020 to control the virus from spreading, has disrupted most of the economic sectors. The agriculture industry was seen as one of the essential industries and allowed to operate under strict standard operating procedures (SOP). Working under strict regulations came with a huge price paid for almost all industries. Conclusion This pandemic has affected the national agri-food availability and accessibility in Malaysia. This outbreak created a reflection of opportunity for sharing a more flexible approaches in handling emergencies on agricultural food production and supply chains. Therefore, the government should be ready with the roadmap and enforce the measures to control the pandemic without disrupting the agri-food supply chain in the near future.