TiO2 Nanoparticles Enhancing Germination, Growth and Yield of Rice
Keya Debnath
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, BCKV, Nadia, West Bengal, 741252, India.
Aparajita Das
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UBKV, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, 736165, India.
Bimal Das *
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UBKV, College of Agriculture (Extended Campus), Majhian, Dakshin Dinajpur, West Bengal, 733133, India.
J. Karfoma
Department of Agronomy, UBKV, College of Agriculture (Extended Campus), Majhian, Dakshin Dinajpur, West Bengal, 733133, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs are used in agriculture to increase seeds germination and seedlings growth and can improve yield by approximately 30%. The present experimental investigation demonstrated the effect of nanoparticles (NPs) Anatase - TiO2 (<100 nm size) on germination, seedling growth and yield attributing traits of rice.
Methods: Rice seeds were treated with six concentrations (0, 10, 20, 50, 80 and 100 ppm) of nanoTiO2 and placed in Petri plates. Some amount was sown in the field following Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications for each treatment.
Results: Application of TiO2 NPs significantly enhanced germination, seedling growth and yield traits for most of the concentrations as compared to the control. About 85% significant improvement of seed germination occurred by 20 ppm of TiO2 NPs. The results of TiO2 treated samples were higher in almost all the growth parameters, but the treatment was highly effective for 20 ppm followed by 50 ppm for grain yield. The response to nano-treatment on seed germination along with yield traits suggested the optimum TiO2 dose limit on these characters on rice.
Keywords: Nanoparticles (NPs), TiO2, rice, germination.