In　the　present　work,　ZnO　and　Ag@ZnO　nanoparticles　based　photocatalyst　were　synthesized　via　green　route　by　using　the　leaves　extract　of　pecan　nuts　(Carya　illinoinensis)　for　the　first　time.　The　phytochemicals　present　in　leaf　of　extract　pecan　nuts　(Carya　illinoinensis)　such　as　methyl　gallate　and　kaempferol　act　as　capping　and　reducing　agents.　The　obtained　photocatalyst　were　analyzed　via　various　techniques　such　as　XRD　(X-ray　diffraction),　TEM　(transmission　electron　microscopy),　SEM　(scanning　electron　microscopy),　FTIR　(Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy),　PL　(Photoluminescence　spectroscopy),　XPS　(X-ray　photoelectron　spec-troscopy)　and　UV　(UV-visible　spectroscopy).　The　activity　of　biogenic　photocatalyst　were　investigated　against　RhB　(Rhodamine　B)　dye　and　the　results　demonstrated　that　the　catalytic　properties　become　en-hanced　significantly　after　Ag　doping　as　compared　to　bare　ZnO.　The　effect　of　various　parameters　were　also　investigated　such　as　pH,　catalyst　dose,　initial　concentration　of　dye.　The　obtained　results　showed　highest　efficacy　of　catalyst　at　pH　10,　further　the　photo-degradation　of　Rhodamine　B　(RhB)　dye　followed　pseudo　first　order　kinetic　model.　The　reusability　test　of　biogenic　photocatalyst　revealed　that　the　catalyst　was　an　ex-cellent　option　for　practical　use　with　high　stability　even　after　5　cycles.　The　mechanism　for,　ZnO　and　Ag@ZnO　synthesis　and　degradation　pathway　of　RhB　dye　was　proposed.　(c)　2021　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.