These nanoparticles are also supposed to protect the chloroplast from aging, photochemical stress and activate Rubisco carboxylation efficiency thereby leading to an
enhancement in the plant photosynthetic rate. These nanoparticles are also known to
exert positive influence on biophysical traits of photosynthesis including electron
chain transport and photophosphorylation activity. In addition TiO 2 have also shown
to improve leaf water conductance and transpiration rate. Application of TiO2
nanoparticles indirectly promotes plant growth by reducing severity of diseases.
Application of nano-potassium fertilizers also induced improvement in grain
yield and this correlated with increase in production of seeds/panicles. Studies
indicated beneficial effect of foliar application of nano-potassium and nano-calcium
fertilizers on growth of plants such as Ocimum basilicum. The production of
Pennisetum americanum noted significant increase after application of ZnO
(Tarafdar et al. 2014). Application of nano-Al 2 O 3 resulted in enhanced root elongation and increased quantum yield of photosystem II in Arabidopsis thaliana and
Lemna minor. Treatment of nano-iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) in plants increased production
of photosynthates via enhancement in photosynthesis in peanut. This resulted in
growth enhancement in peanut plants.
Combined application of molybdenum nanoparticles and nitrogen fixing bacteria
improved microbial activity and seed growth in chickpea (Taran et al. 2014). Glycine
max plants exposed to mixture of TiO 2 and SiO 2 showed increase in nitrogen
fixation and improvement in seed germination and growth (Lu et al. 2002). Calcium
and phosphorus hydroxyapatite nanoparticles showed increment (20–33%) in seed
yield of Glycine max (Lal 2014; Liu and Lal 2014). Copper nanoparticles improved
photosynthetic rate in Elodea (by 35%) (Nekrasova et al. 2011) and seeding growth
in lettuce (up to 40%) (Shah and Belozerova 2009).
Nanofertilizer application has also shown to influence metabolic events in plants.
Improvement in crop productivity due to promotion in nitrogen, carbohydrate
metabolism, and protein synthesis has been noted in plants exposed to
nanofertilizers. Treatment of TiO 2 increased total nitrogen, protein, and chlorophyll
content in Spinacia oleracea (Gao et al. 2008). Studies indicated improvement in
water uptake capacity of plants after application of carbon nanotubes (Srinivasan and
Saraswathi 2010).
Application of carbon nanotubes has been noted to bring improvement in growth
of vegetable plants such as tomato, cabbage, carrot, rape, onion, cucumber, and crop
plants such as soybean, rye grass, corn (Lin and Xing 2007; Cañas et al. 2008;
Khodakovskaya et al. 2009; Zhao et al. 2014).
Significant increase in growth of seedlings of mung bean and chickpea (Cicer
arietinum) has been noted after application of ZnO-nanoparticle at low concentration
(1 mg/l). Improved growth in chickpea has been reported after application of
solution of molybdenum (Mo) nanoparticles. Increase in carboxylation capacity of
Rubisco and nitrogen assimilation efficiency was noted in spinach plants treated with
TiO 2 nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles are transported inside the cells through different modes. Generally
the nanofertilizers are absorbed by roots and transported internally by apoplastic and
symplastic pathways. It is transported via xylem to endodermis and vascular
10 Nanofertilizers and Their Applications
233
enhancement in the plant photosynthetic rate. These nanoparticles are also known to
exert positive influence on biophysical traits of photosynthesis including electron
chain transport and photophosphorylation activity. In addition TiO 2 have also shown
to improve leaf water conductance and transpiration rate. Application of TiO2
nanoparticles indirectly promotes plant growth by reducing severity of diseases.
Application of nano-potassium fertilizers also induced improvement in grain
yield and this correlated with increase in production of seeds/panicles. Studies
indicated beneficial effect of foliar application of nano-potassium and nano-calcium
fertilizers on growth of plants such as Ocimum basilicum. The production of
Pennisetum americanum noted significant increase after application of ZnO
(Tarafdar et al. 2014). Application of nano-Al 2 O 3 resulted in enhanced root elongation and increased quantum yield of photosystem II in Arabidopsis thaliana and
Lemna minor. Treatment of nano-iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) in plants increased production
of photosynthates via enhancement in photosynthesis in peanut. This resulted in
growth enhancement in peanut plants.
Combined application of molybdenum nanoparticles and nitrogen fixing bacteria
improved microbial activity and seed growth in chickpea (Taran et al. 2014). Glycine
max plants exposed to mixture of TiO 2 and SiO 2 showed increase in nitrogen
fixation and improvement in seed germination and growth (Lu et al. 2002). Calcium
and phosphorus hydroxyapatite nanoparticles showed increment (20–33%) in seed
yield of Glycine max (Lal 2014; Liu and Lal 2014). Copper nanoparticles improved
photosynthetic rate in Elodea (by 35%) (Nekrasova et al. 2011) and seeding growth
in lettuce (up to 40%) (Shah and Belozerova 2009).
Nanofertilizer application has also shown to influence metabolic events in plants.
Improvement in crop productivity due to promotion in nitrogen, carbohydrate
metabolism, and protein synthesis has been noted in plants exposed to
nanofertilizers. Treatment of TiO 2 increased total nitrogen, protein, and chlorophyll
content in Spinacia oleracea (Gao et al. 2008). Studies indicated improvement in
water uptake capacity of plants after application of carbon nanotubes (Srinivasan and
Saraswathi 2010).
Application of carbon nanotubes has been noted to bring improvement in growth
of vegetable plants such as tomato, cabbage, carrot, rape, onion, cucumber, and crop
plants such as soybean, rye grass, corn (Lin and Xing 2007; Cañas et al. 2008;
Khodakovskaya et al. 2009; Zhao et al. 2014).
Significant increase in growth of seedlings of mung bean and chickpea (Cicer
arietinum) has been noted after application of ZnO-nanoparticle at low concentration
(1 mg/l). Improved growth in chickpea has been reported after application of
solution of molybdenum (Mo) nanoparticles. Increase in carboxylation capacity of
Rubisco and nitrogen assimilation efficiency was noted in spinach plants treated with
TiO 2 nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles are transported inside the cells through different modes. Generally
the nanofertilizers are absorbed by roots and transported internally by apoplastic and
symplastic pathways. It is transported via xylem to endodermis and vascular
10 Nanofertilizers and Their Applications
233