ZnO nanoparticles mediated by Azadirachta indica as nano fertilizer: Improvement in physiological and biochemical indices of Zea mays grown in Cr-contaminated soil

Sajid Mehmood; Wenjie Ou; Waqas Ahmed; Jochen Bundschuh; Muhammad Rizwan; Mohsin Mahmood; Haider Sultan; Juha M Alatalo; Ahmed S M Elnahal; Wenjie Liu; Weidong Li

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122755

ZnO nanoparticles mediated by Azadirachta indica as nano fertilizer: Improvement in physiological and biochemical indices of Zea mays grown in Cr-contaminated soil

Environ Pollut. 2023 Dec 15:339:122755. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122755. Epub 2023 Oct 16.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China; Center for Eco-Environment Restoration Engineering of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
² Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Ecological Civilization, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
³ Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350, QLD, Australia.
⁴ Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
⁵ College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
⁶ Plant Pathology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt.
⁷ Center for Eco-Environment Restoration Engineering of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Ecological Civilization, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
⁸ Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Ecological Civilization, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China. Electronic address: weidongli@hainanu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37852317
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122755

Abstract

The current investigation aimed at evaluating the impact of Azadirachta indica-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (Ai-ZnONPs) on the growth and biochemical characteristics of maize (sweet glutinous 3000) under exposure to 50 mg kg^-1Ai-ZnONPs with Cr (VI) concentrations of 50 and 100 mg kg^-1. The results indicate that plants exposed to Cr (VI) only experienced a decline in growth parameters. Conversely, the inclusion of Ai-ZnONPs caused a noteworthy increase in physiological traits. Specifically, shoot and root fresh weight increased by 28.02% and 16.51%, and 63.11% and 97.91%, respectively, when compared to Cr-50 and 100 treatments. Additionally, the SPAD chlorophyll of the shoot increased by 91.08% and 15.38% compared to Cr-50 and 100 treatments, respectively. Moreover, the antioxidant enzyme traits of plant shoot and root, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD 7.44% and 2.70%, and 4.45% and 3.53%), catalase (CAT 1.18% and 3.20%, and 5.03% and 5.78%), and peroxidase (POD 0.31% and 5.55%, and 4.72% and 3.61%), exhibited significant increases in Cr 50 and 100 treatments, respectively. The addition of Ai-ZnONPs to the soil also enhanced soil nutrient status and reduced Cr (VI) concentrations by 40.69% and 19.82% compared to Cr-50 and 100 treated soils. These findings suggest that Ai-ZnONPs can trigger the activation of biochemical pathways that enable biomass accumulation in meristematic cells. Further investigations are required to elucidate the mechanisms involved in growth promotion.

Keywords: Azadirachta indica; Chromium contamination; Nano fertilizer; Zea mays; ZnO nanoparticles.

MeSH terms

Azadirachta*
Chromium / analysis
Fertilizers
Nanoparticles* / toxicity
Soil
Soil Pollutants* / analysis
Zea mays / metabolism
Zinc Oxide* / metabolism
Zinc Oxide* / toxicity

Substances

Zinc Oxide
Fertilizers
Soil
Soil Pollutants
Chromium