Abstract
This article presents a study of the effect of iron nanoparticles obtained by green synthesis using wormwood extract (Artemisia absinthium) on the growth parameters of tomato seeds. Nanopreparations based on metals and their oxides have great potential for environmentally sustainable agriculture as an alternative to chemical pesticides. The small size of nanoparticles and their high reactivity offer broad prospects for their use in plant cultivation. According to many experts, the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles and metal oxides using plant extracts has significant advantages, as it is economical and environmentally friendly. Plants contain a large amount of biologically active substances necessary for the reduction and stabilization of metal ions, as a result of which the biosynthesis of nanoparticles proceeds faster and nanoparticles obtained using plant substances are more stable and have high biocompatibility. Wormwood extract proved to be an effective source of reducing agents and stabilizers for the biological synthesis of iron nanoparticles, with mainly quasi-spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 59.4 nm being obtained. The experiment yielded results indicating the positive effect of both wormwood water extract and the iron nanoparticle preparation on tomato seed growth parameters, with sprout length increasing by 16% and 13%, respectively. Treatment with the nanoparticle-containing preparation had an additional stimulating effect on root sprout formation, which increases the growth potential of the treated seeds and demonstrates the advantages of this preparation as a growth stimulator.