Seed Priming and Foliar Spraying with Biosynthesized Zinc Nanoparticles on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Production

The research was carried out at the Green Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, with a specific emphasis on the biosynthesis of zinc nanoparticles using Pseudomonas and actinobacteria. The zinc nanoparticles were biosynthesized and characterized through UV-Visible spectroscopy, Particle Size Analyzer (PSA), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), (EDX), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). After biosynthesis and characterization of the nanoparticles (NPs), a pot experiment was conducted under controlled condition to know the effect of biosynthesized zinc nanoparticles on wheat. Seed priming at 500 ppm and foliar spraying at 500 ppm at panicle initiation stage with zinc nanoparticles biosynthesized through actinobacteria (T12) recorded significantly higher plant height (93.73 cm), number of tillers per plant (4.87), total dry matter production (45.57 g pot-1), number of grains per spike (46.73), grain weight per spike (1.83 g), test weight (42.26 g), grain yield (3.95 g plant-1) and straw yield (5.97 g plant-1)and found on par with seed priming at 500 ppm and foliar spraying at 500 ppm at panicle initiation stage with zinc nanoparticles biosynthesized through Pseudomonas (T5).