Evaluating the effect of zinc-chitosan-salicylic acid nanocomposite particles on germination, yield and antioxidant enzyme activity in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)
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Date
2020-12
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
In this work, zinc-chitosan-salicylic acid nanocomposite particles (ZCS NPs) have been reported as a potent promoter of seed germination, antioxidant enzyme activity and yield in wheat and Indian mustard. The experiment was conducted in rabi season of the year 2019 using Completely Randomized Design at the poly-house of Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. Synthesis of ZCS NPs was carried out using ionotropic gelation method. The synthesized ZCS NPs were characterized using UVvisible spectroscopy, Dynamic Light-scattering Spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, EDX and TGA analyses. The average size of synthesized ZCS NPs was found to be 13.54 nm. Germination experiment conducted on wheat and mustard seeds soaked in different concentrations of ZC and ZCS NPs (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 ppm) showed significant improvement in seedling length, seedling dry weight, seed vigor indices (I and II) at 50 ppm concentration. The pot experiment on wheat and Indian mustard was carried out using foliar application of ZCS NPs separately at 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 ppm concentrations. The results of DPPH radical scavenging activity, SOD, POD, CAT and APX activity along with proline content revealed that increasing concentrations of ZCS NPs significantly increased these parameters in wheat and mustard, with highest activity found at 200 ppm concentration. ZCS NPs had the highest impact on yield of wheat and mustard at 50 ppm concentration, with lower yield values on further increase in concentration. From this study, it was concluded that zinc-chitosan-salicylic acid nanocomposite particles played an important role in improving the germination, antioxidant enzyme activity and yield in wheat and mustard.