Sign in Subscribe
Nanotechnology

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Show Promise in Enhancing Plant Growth

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers at Al-Qasim Green University have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the use of zinc oxide nanoparticles in plant growth. The study, published in the Kufa Journal for Agricultural Sciences, found that zinc oxide nanoparticles enhanced the germination rate and growth of wheat seeds in vitro. The study utilized a novel method of biosynthesis, using plant extracts to create the nanoparticles, which were then analyzed using various spectroscopy and microscopy techniques.

Key Takeaways:

  • Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were found to be effective in promoting plant growth due to their high absorption and small size.
  • The study used a biosynthesis method to create the nanoparticles, which involved using plant extracts from the leaves of Myrtus communis L.
  • The nanoparticles were analyzed using ultraviolet-X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FITR), and visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy.
  • Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to analyze the shape and size of the nanoparticles, which were found to be semi-spherical with an average diameter of 30 nm.
  • The study found that a concentration of 100 ppm of zinc oxide nanoparticles resulted in a germination percentage of wheat seeds that reached 59.17%, compared to 24.17% in the control treatment.
  • The length of plumule and radicle were also affected, with the former reaching 5.767 cm and the latter reaching 3.400 cm at the same concentration.
  • The study suggests that biosynthetic zinc nanoparticles are effective in improving the germination characteristics of wheat seeds.

Statistics:

  • A distinctive absorption peak at 366 nm was caused by surface plasma resonance, visible in the UV-Vis spectroscopy.
  • The size of the nanoparticles was 30 nm, determined using FESEM.
  • The germination percentage of wheat seeds after treatment with 100 ppm of zinc oxide nanoparticles reached 59.17%.
  • The length of plumule and radicle reached 5.767 cm and 3.400 cm, respectively, at the same concentration.

Sources:

  • Kufa Journal for Agricultural Sciences, 2024,16(2). The publisher for Kufa Journal for Agricultural Sciences is University of Kufa.
  • https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.36077/kjas/2024/v16i2.11312
  • NewsRx. New Nanoparticles Findings from Al-Qasim Green University Published [Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and effect on seed germination of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in vitro]. Nanotechnology Weekly. May 26, 2025; p 2155.

Read more