Field application of Ca-doped ZnO nanoparticles to maize and wheat plants

B M Patil; V L Patil; S R Bhosale; R R Bhosale; D R Ingavale; S S Patil; P D Kamble; A G Bhosale; Sagar M Mane; Jaewoong Lee; S A Vanalakar

doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108552

Field application of Ca-doped ZnO nanoparticles to maize and wheat plants

Plant Physiol Biochem. 2024 Mar 23:210:108552. doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108552. Online ahead of print.

Authors

B M Patil¹, V L Patil², S R Bhosale³, R R Bhosale⁴, D R Ingavale⁵, S S Patil⁶, P D Kamble⁷, A G Bhosale⁸, Sagar M Mane⁹, Jaewoong Lee¹⁰, S A Vanalakar¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics, R. B. Madhkholkar Mahavidyalaya (Affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur), Chandgad, 416509, Maharashtra, India; Department of Physics, Karmaveer Hire Arts, Commerce, Science and Education College, Gargoti (Affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur), Kolhapur, 416209, Maharashtra, India.
² Department of Physics, Shahajiraje Mahavidyalaya, Khatav, 415505, Maharashtra, India.
³ Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 416004, Maharashtra, India.
⁴ Analytical Chemistry and Material Science Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 416004, India.
⁵ Department of Agrochemical and Paste Management, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 416004, Maharashtra, India.
⁶ Department of Physics, Karmaveer Hire Arts, Commerce, Science and Education College, Gargoti (Affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur), Kolhapur, 416209, Maharashtra, India.
⁷ Department of Physics, The New College, Kolhapur, 416012, Maharashtra, India.
⁸ Department of Physics, Smt. Kusumtai Rajarambapu Patil Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Islampur, 415409, Maharashtra, India.
⁹ Department of Fiber System Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: manesagar99@gmail.com.
¹⁰ Department of Fiber System Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jaewlee@yu.ac.kr.
¹¹ Department of Physics, Karmaveer Hire Arts, Commerce, Science and Education College, Gargoti (Affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur), Kolhapur, 416209, Maharashtra, India. Electronic address: sharad.vanalakar@gmail.com.

PMID: 38552262
DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108552

Abstract

Nanoparticles play a vital role in modern agriculture to provide the nutrients required by plants. Herein, we report the preparation of calcium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (CZO NPs) via a simple and cost-effective co-precipitation method, with the aim of realizing increased fertilizer response. The synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed to study their physicochemical properties using various characterization techniques. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed a small shift in peak position towards higher values of 2θ and reduced crystal size after the zinc oxide (ZnO) matrix had been doped with Ca. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy images clearly revealed a grain-like surface morphology. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study produced evidence of Zn²⁺ substitution by Ca²⁺ and enhanced Zn-O bond strengths in the CZO samples. Two major crops, maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were selected to study the impact of the CZO NP-based nanofertilizer on plant growth. During the study, the effect of the CZO-based fertilizer on growth parameters such as seed germination, root and shoot length, plant height, root and stem width, number of leaves, and leaf size was studied based on comparisons with control plants. We observed significantly increased plant growth parameters after the application of the CZO NP-based fertilizers.

Keywords: Calcium-doped zinc oxide; Nano-fertilizer; Nanotechnology; Plant growth impact.