RAME, GOWDAHARISH, M.S.2018-07-112018-07-112017-11-02Th-11871http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810058843In view of the wide spread cultivation of groundnut in India and in other parts of the world, both laboratory and field experiments were carried out to examine the influence of seed treatment with nanoparticles on ‘morpho physiological and biochemical changes in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)’ during 2014-15 and 2015-16. In laboratory experiment, medium vigour groundnut seeds were separately treated with four nano particles and four bulk micro nutrients viz., nano Zinc Oxide (ZnO), FeO NPs, CaCO3 NPs, TiO2 NPs and Bulk ZnO, Bulk FeO, Bulk CaCO3, Bulk TiO2 . Among the different treatments imposed, seed treatment with nanoscale ZnO (25 nm) @1000 ppm significantly promoted seed quality attributes of germination (82%), root length (9.02 cm), shoot length (18.7 cm) and SVI (2280), SVI-II (1903), TDH (0.40 A480 nm) with lower seed infection (6.75%) when compared to control (64%, 6.75 cm, 14.28 cm, 1349, 1117, 0.34, 16.17%, respectively, for above parameters). Besides, the positive impact of nanoparticles seed treatment was also observed for the changes in biochemical attributes both in laboratory and pot culture experiments. The amylase activity (22.97 & 23.97 mm), peroxidase activity (0.30 & 0.28 μmol/ml) super oxide dismutase (8.23 & 9.67 unit/mg) catalase activity (0.32 & 0.39 μmol/ml) were found to be higher in Zinc oxide nanoparticles @ 1000 ppm compared to control (20.73 & 20.53 mm, 0.27 & 0.22, 7.93 & 7.67 unit/mg, 0.3, 0.3 μmol/ml). In field experiment, plant growth parameters viz., field emergence (82.9%), plant height at 45DAS, 60DAS, harvest (21.78, 28.86, 37.33 cm), number of branches at 45, 60, 90 DAS (4.82, 5.72 & 6.78), days to initiation of flowering (25 days) and yield parameters like, pod yield plant-1 (29.2 g), number of pods plant-1 (23.5) and haulm yield plant-1 (192 g) SMK % (88 %), shelling per cent (79.6) also differed significantly with ZnO (25 nm) @1000 ppm compared to traditional source of Zn application with ZnO @ 30 g/15 liter of water + RDF with the foliar application and seed application. The inhibitory effect noticed with higher dose of nanoparticle @2000 ppm suggested the need of judicious usage of these nano-particles in such applications. The first ever report on the effect of nanoscale elements on plant growth and yield of groundnut revealed the positive influence and that could be used as seed treatment to enhance yield and quality of seeds.HindinullThesis