The effect of a relatively low dose of nano-ZnO particles on growth, chlorophyll content, grain yield, and yield components in a mexican landrace of red maize.

Abstract

A field-scale experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of a relatively low dose of nano-ZnO particles (0.16 mg nano-ZnO per seed) on growth parameters, biomass production, photosynthetic pigments, cob components, grain yield, and yield attributes in a Mexican pigmented maize landrace. Seeds were coated with a starch paste containing nano-ZnO and controls comprised both uncoated and starch-coated seeds free of nanoZnO. The highest plant height, plant stalk diameter, root length, number of secondary roots, and fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots were recorded at 60 d after sowing with the application of nano-ZnO. Also, a significant improvement in leaf chlorophyll concentration occurred as a result of applying nano-ZnO. Cob components, grain yield, and yield attributes were significantly improved by the nano-ZnO application. Furthermore, a significant increment in the FTIR primary active vibrations associated with the peptide-protein, lipids, and carbohydrate, and a high degree of organization at a shortrange scale was observed on the outer regions of the starch granules in the F1 progeny of the nano-ZnO treatment. From these results, it can be concluded that seed treatment with a low dose of nano-ZnO particles is a cost-effective method for improving native maize production under rural conditions