Enhancement of growth and yield, leaching reduction in Triticum aestivum using biogenic synthesized zinc oxide nanofertilizer

Agriculture sector have seen a huge spike in research related to application of nanomaterials for increasing pro-duction of crop in last two decades. Zinc is one such micronutrient which is widely explored for use in agriculture as nanofertilizer or for other novel applications. Despite being the widely researched nutrient, almost negligible studies have been carried out studying the impact of leaching of zinc in soil after crop harvesting. In our present work we tried to explore the potential of zinc as nanofertilizer in wheat via studying its impact on biochemical, physiological, morphological and yield related parameters of wheat along-with leaching of zinc in soil. Wheat plants were grown to harvesting stage and were treated with three different concentrations of nano zinc oxide (40, 80 , 120 ppm), zinc nitrate along-with a control setup having no external zinc supplement. Nano-zinc oxide at the concentration of 80 ppm showed the best results and causes maximum increase in plant height, seeds per spike, 10 0 seed weight, yield, and biomass accumulation compared to the control and zinc nitrate treatment. In case of 80 ppm nano zinc oxide spray, yield obtained was 19 .9 4g which was significantly much higher than chemical zinc (6 .9 6g ) and control (4 .3 8g ). Nano zinc oxide application also caused better absorption of zinc and least amount of zinc was left in the soil when compared to control and zinc nitrate treatment. These results indi-cate that nano zinc oxide can be applied to wheat plants for enhanced yield, quality and at the same time being less harmful for environment. Ag ri cu l tu re se c to r ha ve se en a hu ge sp ik e in re se ar ch re la te d to ap pl i ca ti on of na no ma te ri al s fo r in cr ea s in g pr o du c ti on of cr op in la st tw o de ca de s. Zi nc is on e su ch mi cr on u tr i en t wh ic h is wi de ly ex pl or ed fo r us e in ag ri cu l tu re as na no fe r ti l iz er or fo r ot he r no ve l ap pl i ca ti on s. De sp it e be in g th e wi de ly re se ar ch ed nu tr i en t, al mo st ne g li gi bl e st ud ie s ha ve be en ca r ri ed ou t st ud y in g th e im pa ct of le ac h in g of zi nc in so il af te r cr op ha r ve st in g. In ou r pr e se nt wo rk we tr ie d to ex pl or e th e po te n ti al of zi nc as na no fe r ti l iz er in wh ea t vi a st ud y in g it s im pa ct on bi o ch em i ca l, ph ys i o lo g i ca l, mo r ph o lo g i ca l an d yi el d re la te d pa ra me te rs of wh ea t al on g - wi th le ac h in g of zi nc in so il . Wh ea t pl an ts we re gr ow n to ha r ve st in g st ag e an d we re tr ea te d wi th th re e di f fe r en t co n ce n tr a ti on s of na no zi nc ox id e (4 0, 80 , 12 0 pp m) , zi nc ni tr at e al on g - wi th a co n tr ol se tu p ha v in g no ex te r na l zi nc su p pl e me nt . Na no - zi nc ox id e at th e co n ce n tr a ti on of 80 pp m sh ow ed th e be st re su lt s an d ca us es ma x i mu m in cr ea se in pl an t he ig ht , se ed s pe r sp ik e, 10 0 se ed we ig ht , yi el d, an d bi o ma ss ac cu mu la ti on co m pa re d to th e co n tr ol an d zi nc ni tr at e tr ea t me nt . In ca se of 80 pp m na no zi nc ox id e sp ra y, yi el d ob ta in ed wa s 19 .9 4g wh ic h wa s si g ni f i ca nt ly mu ch hi gh er th an ch em i ca l zi nc (6 .9 6g ) an d co n tr ol (4 .3 8g ). Na no zi nc ox id e ap pl i ca ti on al so ca us ed be t te r ab so rp ti on of zi nc an d le as t am ou nt of zi nc wa s le ft in th e so il wh en co m pa re d to co n tr ol an d zi nc ni tr at e tr ea t me nt . Th es e re su lt s in di ca te th at na no zi nc ox id e ca n be ap pl ie d to wh ea t pl an ts fo r en ha nc ed yi el d, qu al it y an d at th e sa me ti me be in g le ss ha rm fu l fo r en vi ro n me nt .

Automated summary

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in research in the agriculture sector about the application of nanomaterials for increasing crop production, with zinc being widely explored as a nanofertilizer. Experimental results indicate that nano zinc oxide at a concentration of 80 ppm shows the best results in wheat, significantly increasing yield while being less harmful to the environment.