Issue 3, 2024

Evaluating the impact of phytosynthesized micronutrient nanoparticles on the growth and propagation of mulberry cuttings: dose determination and toxicity concerns

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiency heavily affects the growth and propagation of mulberry plants. Herein, the present study aimed to determine the optimum dosage of nanoparticle application by investigating the effect of externally applied nano-micronutrients on the growth and biochemical attributes of mulberry cuttings. Among zinc, copper, and manganese nanoparticles applied at 5, 10, and 50 mg kg−1 soil dosages initially through soil admixture and later through foliar spray at rates of 5, 10, and 50 ppm (abbreviated as ZnNP-5, 10, 50; MnNP-5, 10, 50; CuNP-5, 10, 50 respectively), ZnNP-10, MnNP-5, and CuNP-5 were found to be optimum exhibiting better initial root establishment and improved sprouting (71–76%) and survival percentage (88–91%) and, most importantly, quick emergence of leaves (13–14 days) during vegetative propagation. Subsequent investigations substantiated an enhancement in the photosynthetic pigments, protein, and carbohydrate contents, and the antioxidant enzyme reservoir of the cuttings. Moreover, the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies carried out through the Allium cepa root tip assay depicted that all the applied dosages of ZnNPs were safe, whereas MnNPs can be used up to the concentration of 10 ppm and CuNPs up to 5 ppm. At the highest applied concentration (50 ppm), ZnNPs, MnNPs, and CuNPs demonstrated 57.42%, 52.51%, and 46.19% mitotic indices having chromosomal aberrations of 3.55%, 6.23% and 7.9%, respectively. Therefore, the evaluation of toxicity concerns addressed the safety issues of the optimized dosage of nanoparticle application in the environment, and this may serve as a reference for future work on the agricultural applications of nanoparticles.

Graphical abstract: Evaluating the impact of phytosynthesized micronutrient nanoparticles on the growth and propagation of mulberry cuttings: dose determination and toxicity concerns

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 Oct 2023
Accepted
05 Jan 2024
First published
05 Jan 2024

Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024,11, 1179-1203

Evaluating the impact of phytosynthesized micronutrient nanoparticles on the growth and propagation of mulberry cuttings: dose determination and toxicity concerns

M. S. Haydar, P. Saha, P. Mandal and S. Roy, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024, 11, 1179 DOI: 10.1039/D3EN00708A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements