Biogenic Selenium Nanoparticles: Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Insecticidal Properties and Their Impact on Soybean (Glycine max L.) Seed Germination and Seedling Growth

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The standard approaches used in the fields of cancer therapies, microbial infection mitigation, and agricultural improvement exhibit intrinsic limitations, especially in terms of their efficacy, precision, expenses, and environmental impacts. Biogenic nanoparticles, on the other hand, offer eco-friendly, multifunctional solutions in numerous disciplines. The present work highlights the crucial importance of biogenic SeNPs across various fields, emphasising their potential in the realms of agriculture, cancer treatment, and infection control. The inhibitory effect of SeNPs on MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells, coupled with antibacterial activity against Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae, underscores SeNPs’ potential for cancer therapy and microbial control. In agriculture, the positive effect of SeNPs on the germination dynamics and seedling development of soybean, a crucial economic plant, reveals their potential for enhancing agricultural yield. SeNPs effectively controlling the cotton leafworm and inhibiting plant pathogenic fungi are underscored in sustainable agriculture, as they provide a bio-based strategy for managing pests and preventing plant diseases. The present study provides opportunities for further investigation, promoting the examination of strategies to enhance the utilisation of SeNPs in the fields of cancer treatment, agriculture, and infection management. Valuable directions encompass the refinement of the synthesis process to optimise characteristics, the investigation of supplementary biological effects, and the evaluation of long-term environmental implications. ABSTRACT: Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have demonstrated significant potential in a variety of disciplines, making them an extremely desirable subject of research. This study investigated the anticancer and antibacterial properties of my-co-fabricated selenium SeNPs, as well as their effects on soybean (Glycine max L.) seeds, seedling growth, cotton leafworm (Spodoptera littoralis) combat, and plant pathogenic fungi inhibition. SeNPs showed anticancer activity with an IC(50) value of 1.95 µg/mL against MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells. The myco-synthesized SeNPs exhibited an antibacterial effect against Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae at 20 mg/mL. The use of 1 µM SeNPs improved soybean seed germination (93%), germination energy (76.5%), germination rate (19.0), and mean germination time (4.3 days). At 0.5 and 1.0 µM SeNPs, the growth parameters of seedlings improved. SeNPs increased the 4th instar larval mortality of cotton leafworm compared to control, with a median lethal concentration of 23.08 mg/mL. They inhibited the growth of Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Fusarium solani. These findings demonstrate that biogenic SeNPs represent a promising approach to achieving sustainable progress in the fields of agriculture, cancer therapy, and infection control.