Biosynthesis of Zn and Fe Nanoparticles and Agronomic Fortification in Irrigated Wheat

Abstract

An experiment was carried out on biosynthesis of zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) newlinenanoparticles (NPs) at Green Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Agricultural newlineSciences, Dharwad, Karnataka. The microbial extracts of AUDP209 and AUDT636 showing newlinesignificant effect on seedling characteristics was selected after screening from eight strains of newlinePseudomonas and Actinobacteria. The zinc and iron nanoparticles were biosynthesized and newlinecharacterized through UV-Vis, PSA, SEM, EDX, XRD and FTIR. The AUDP209 and newlineAUDT636 biosynthesized ZnNPs showed maximum peak at 365 and 374 nm and average newlinesize was found to be 48.7 nm and 54.9 nm, whereas for FeNPs absorption peak was observed newlineat 294 and 297 nm with average size of 51.7 and 58.0 nm, respectively. SEM images showed newlinethat both biosynthesized Zn and FeNPs were spherical in shape, whereas, EDX confirmed the newlinepresence of zinc and iron ions in biosynthesized samples. XRD proved crystalline and newlineamorphous nature of zinc and iron nanoparticles, respectively. After synthesis and newlinecharacterization of NPs, lab experiment was conducted to standardize the concentration of newlinebiosynthesized Zn and FeNPs. The lab experiment was laid out in CRD design with three newlinereplications. Among the various seed priming treatments, seed priming with Fe nanoparticles newlineat 250 ppm and seed priming with Zn nanoparticles at 500 ppm biosynthesized through newlineActinobacteria and Pseudomonas recorded significantly highest germination per cent, root newlinelength, shoot length and seedling vigour index compared to control treatment. The pot newlineexperiment was carried out in IABT, UAS, Dharwad to standardize optimum concentration of newlinefoliar spraying with biosynthesized Zn and FeNPs. The results revealed that, foliar application newlineof biosynthesized FeNPs at 500 and ZnNPs at 500 ppm was found to be optimum at panicle newlineinitiation stage of wheat. The standardized optimum concentration under lab and controlled newlinecondition were further studied under field condition and it is compared with commercial NPs. newlineThe field study was conducted in Main Agricultural Re