supplied Zn better than forms applied to test plants. The
plants grown in acidic soil with poor Zn and ZnO-NPs/
alginate beads resulted in steady Zn concentration. The
results indicated avoidance of early stage Zn toxicity and the
Zn requirement of maize plant were done by ZnO-NPs/
alginate beads (Martins et al. 2020).
The investigation of germination and development of
seedling in corn after seed priming with ZnO-NPs, bulk ZnO
and ZnCl 2 were evaluated by Neto et al. (2020). The seed
priming promoted germination, root length, dry biomass,
seedling growth 25% by NP and 12%-ZnCl 2 than control.
The bulk ZnO seed priming showed similar growth with the
control. The NP seed priming was an alternative that supported the delivery of essential micronutrient (Zn) to seedlings of corn (Neto et al. 2020). The peppermint (Mentha
piperita L.) plants were treated with different fertilizers, i.e.,
control, chemical fertilizer, arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus,
50% chemical fertilizer + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus -
Glomus mosseae, nano-chelated fertilizer, 50% chemical
fertilizer + nano-chelated fertilizer, nano-chelated fertilizer + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus to evaluate desirable
essential oil production and reduce chemical inputs by
Ostadi et al. (2020). The results showed the impacts of
growth parameters, i.e., plant height, number of lateral
branches per plant and leaf greenness with increased N, P, K
and Fe contents in test plant. The increase of peppermint dry
matter, essential oil content and yield revealed the use of
integrative chemical fertilizers with nanofertilizers as an
alternative and eco-friendly approach (Ostadi et al. 2020).
Gomaa et al. (2020) has carried the field experiments on
growth, yield of sorghum by addition of mineral,
nano-fertilization and different weed control. The application
of NPK mineral and NPK nanoparticles fertilizers revealed
the high yield of sorghum was achieved by hand hoeing one
time with herbicide (Gomaa et al. 2020). The study performed by Alimohammadi et al. (2020) evaluated the yield
of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) by application of urea
and nano-nitrogen chelate (NNC) fertilizers and nitrate
leaching from soil. The results showed that nitrate leaching
was high with urea and low for NNC. The sugarcane stem
height was increased by application of both fertilizers in
increased doses (Alimohammadi et al. 2020).
The foliar application of ZnO-NPs and ZnSO 4 on winter
wheat (T. aestivum L.) was evaluated by Sun et al. (2020) for
increasing the Zn content in the grain. ZnO-NPs increased the
Zn in the wheat grain was in limit for human consumption.
The results demonstrated that ZnO-NPs fertilizer increased Zn
in wheat grain and contributed for improved human nutrition
(Sun et al. 2020). The effect of zinc nanofertilizer was evaluated by Prajapati et al. (2018) for growth and yield of wheat
(T. aestivum L.). The experiments were seed treatment, foliar
application and seed treatment + foliar application of bulk Zn
and nano-Zn. The results showed that the seed treatment
followed by three foliar sprays of ZnO-NPs after sowing
proved to enhance the height, number of effective tillers,
length of spike, test weight, yields of grain and straw along
with grain and straw zinc content and uptake by grain and
straw (Prajapati et al. 2018).
The integrative effects of wheat and nutrient acquisition
were evaluated by Dimkpa et al. (2020a, b) in soil under
treatments, i.e., drought, organic fertilizer (OF) and nano- vs.
bulk ZnO particles. The drought effect reduced chlorophyll
levels, delayed panicle emergence, reduced grain yield treatment of nano- and bulk ZnO reported to alleviate stress with
increase in chlorophyll, accelerated panicle emergence under
drought, increased grain yield and OF also increased chlorophyll levels, increased yield under drought and counteracted
with Zn. The results of the study demonstrated that drought
effects in food crops were alleviated by ZnO particles and
Zn-rich OF and found potential mitigation strategies for sustaining food production (Dimkpa et al. 2020a, b).
4 Nano-harvest with engineered
mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs).
Solidago nemoralis hairy root cultures were performed for
harvesting of polyphenolic flavonoids using engineered
mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) functionalized
with both titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and amines (NH 2 ) to
promote cellular internalization. The results of the study
demonstrated continuous isolation of biomolecules from
living and functioning plant cultures (Khan et al. 2020a, b).
5 Phytoaccumulation of Engineered
Nanoparticles (ENPs) in Plants
The different behaviors of leaf samples from Dittrichia viscosa and Cichorium intybus for the phytoaccumulator
characteristics were studied by Abdallah et al. (2020) to
evidence sequestration of heavy metals as nanoparticles
from autogenous environment, i.e., steel manufacturing
company. The results showed different behaviors of phytoaccumulation in Dittrichia viscosa and nanoparticle composition. The levels of heavy metals NPs estimated from the
nearby industries and Cichorium intybus plants were similar
(Abdallah et al. 2020).
6 Phytotoxic Effects of Engineered
Nanoparticles (ENPs) in Different Plants
The results of study performed by Falco et al. (2020) on
leaves of broad bean (Vicia faba) exposed to silver
nanoparticles (AgNPs) revealed that the photochemical
94
A. A. H. Khan
plants grown in acidic soil with poor Zn and ZnO-NPs/
alginate beads resulted in steady Zn concentration. The
results indicated avoidance of early stage Zn toxicity and the
Zn requirement of maize plant were done by ZnO-NPs/
alginate beads (Martins et al. 2020).
The investigation of germination and development of
seedling in corn after seed priming with ZnO-NPs, bulk ZnO
and ZnCl 2 were evaluated by Neto et al. (2020). The seed
priming promoted germination, root length, dry biomass,
seedling growth 25% by NP and 12%-ZnCl 2 than control.
The bulk ZnO seed priming showed similar growth with the
control. The NP seed priming was an alternative that supported the delivery of essential micronutrient (Zn) to seedlings of corn (Neto et al. 2020). The peppermint (Mentha
piperita L.) plants were treated with different fertilizers, i.e.,
control, chemical fertilizer, arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus,
50% chemical fertilizer + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus -
Glomus mosseae, nano-chelated fertilizer, 50% chemical
fertilizer + nano-chelated fertilizer, nano-chelated fertilizer + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus to evaluate desirable
essential oil production and reduce chemical inputs by
Ostadi et al. (2020). The results showed the impacts of
growth parameters, i.e., plant height, number of lateral
branches per plant and leaf greenness with increased N, P, K
and Fe contents in test plant. The increase of peppermint dry
matter, essential oil content and yield revealed the use of
integrative chemical fertilizers with nanofertilizers as an
alternative and eco-friendly approach (Ostadi et al. 2020).
Gomaa et al. (2020) has carried the field experiments on
growth, yield of sorghum by addition of mineral,
nano-fertilization and different weed control. The application
of NPK mineral and NPK nanoparticles fertilizers revealed
the high yield of sorghum was achieved by hand hoeing one
time with herbicide (Gomaa et al. 2020). The study performed by Alimohammadi et al. (2020) evaluated the yield
of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) by application of urea
and nano-nitrogen chelate (NNC) fertilizers and nitrate
leaching from soil. The results showed that nitrate leaching
was high with urea and low for NNC. The sugarcane stem
height was increased by application of both fertilizers in
increased doses (Alimohammadi et al. 2020).
The foliar application of ZnO-NPs and ZnSO 4 on winter
wheat (T. aestivum L.) was evaluated by Sun et al. (2020) for
increasing the Zn content in the grain. ZnO-NPs increased the
Zn in the wheat grain was in limit for human consumption.
The results demonstrated that ZnO-NPs fertilizer increased Zn
in wheat grain and contributed for improved human nutrition
(Sun et al. 2020). The effect of zinc nanofertilizer was evaluated by Prajapati et al. (2018) for growth and yield of wheat
(T. aestivum L.). The experiments were seed treatment, foliar
application and seed treatment + foliar application of bulk Zn
and nano-Zn. The results showed that the seed treatment
followed by three foliar sprays of ZnO-NPs after sowing
proved to enhance the height, number of effective tillers,
length of spike, test weight, yields of grain and straw along
with grain and straw zinc content and uptake by grain and
straw (Prajapati et al. 2018).
The integrative effects of wheat and nutrient acquisition
were evaluated by Dimkpa et al. (2020a, b) in soil under
treatments, i.e., drought, organic fertilizer (OF) and nano- vs.
bulk ZnO particles. The drought effect reduced chlorophyll
levels, delayed panicle emergence, reduced grain yield treatment of nano- and bulk ZnO reported to alleviate stress with
increase in chlorophyll, accelerated panicle emergence under
drought, increased grain yield and OF also increased chlorophyll levels, increased yield under drought and counteracted
with Zn. The results of the study demonstrated that drought
effects in food crops were alleviated by ZnO particles and
Zn-rich OF and found potential mitigation strategies for sustaining food production (Dimkpa et al. 2020a, b).
4 Nano-harvest with engineered
mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs).
Solidago nemoralis hairy root cultures were performed for
harvesting of polyphenolic flavonoids using engineered
mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) functionalized
with both titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and amines (NH 2 ) to
promote cellular internalization. The results of the study
demonstrated continuous isolation of biomolecules from
living and functioning plant cultures (Khan et al. 2020a, b).
5 Phytoaccumulation of Engineered
Nanoparticles (ENPs) in Plants
The different behaviors of leaf samples from Dittrichia viscosa and Cichorium intybus for the phytoaccumulator
characteristics were studied by Abdallah et al. (2020) to
evidence sequestration of heavy metals as nanoparticles
from autogenous environment, i.e., steel manufacturing
company. The results showed different behaviors of phytoaccumulation in Dittrichia viscosa and nanoparticle composition. The levels of heavy metals NPs estimated from the
nearby industries and Cichorium intybus plants were similar
(Abdallah et al. 2020).
6 Phytotoxic Effects of Engineered
Nanoparticles (ENPs) in Different Plants
The results of study performed by Falco et al. (2020) on
leaves of broad bean (Vicia faba) exposed to silver
nanoparticles (AgNPs) revealed that the photochemical
94
A. A. H. Khan