Assessment of Zinc Nanoparticles for the Enhancement of Growth and Nutritional Value of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

Synthetic and Biogenic Zn nanoparticles standardization was performed to verify the suitable dose for tomato growth with various concentration levels (50, 100, 150 and 200 ppm) in lab and pot experiment was carried out at College of Agriculture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh during 2022 summer season. Standardization results were evaluated according to germination percent, coleoptile length and seedling vigour index. Tomato seeds treated with 50 ppm synthetic Zn nanoparticles was observed the superior response 82.22 % in germination and 1037.27 in seedling vigour index than other synthetic Zn nanoparticles concentrations while the application of 100 ppm biogenic Zn nanoparticles was gave the maximum germination percent and seedling vigour index via. 73.33 % and 904.52 as compare to left concentration level of biogenic Zn nanoparticles. The pot experiment was comprised 9 treatments with 5 replications and arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The treatment included in this experiment are control, ZnSO4 (soil, foliar application), synthetic and biogenic Zn NPs (seed priming, foliar application, both). The application of zinc improved the better crop growth, yield and yield components, and nutritional value over control. The best treatment was the application of biogenic Zn NPs as seed priming + foliar at flowering stage although synthetic Zn NPs application gave good result over biogenic one in case of seed priming or foliar application treatments. The yield recorded from the best treatment was 439.96 g plant-1. The nutrient uptake and content also maximum with the application of biogenic Zn NPs as seed priming + foliar at flowering stage. In fruit, the content of nutrients was improved by application of Zn NPs 3.1 to 11.9 % nitrogen, 9.98 to 12.38 % phosphorus, 2.74 to 33.84 % potassium and 9.25 to 47.85 % zinc over conventional ZnSO4.