Present laboratory experiment was conducted with an objective to know the effect of seed polymer coating with Zn and Fe nanoparticles (NPs) in comparison to their bulk forms on storage potential of pigeonpea seeds. Results revealed that seed polymer coating with Zn and Fe NPs had significant effect on storability of pigeonpea seeds. Among the treatments Zn NPs at 750 ppm was found to be superior in all the studied parameters viz., seed germination (96.00, 88.67 and 81.67 %), seedling length (25.67, 22.57 and 18.60 cm), seedling dry weight (85, 81.45 and 78. 45 mg), field emergence (89.67, 77.67 and 63.33 %), seedling vigour index (2556, 2001 and 1519), alpha amylase and dehydrogenase enzymes activities at 0, 6 and 10 months, respectively and it was statistically on par with Zn NPs at 500 ppm and Fe NPs at 500 ppm. The nanoparticles treatment didn't affect the seed moisture content (%) and insect infestation (%), however the significant difference was observed between polymer coated and uncoated seeds. In over all, the results of the study demonstrated the possibility of application Nanotechnology in Seed Science Research.

A laboratory study was undertaken to know the effect of seed polymer coating with Zn and Fe nanoparticles (NPs) at different concentration (10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm) in pigeonpea at Department of Seed Science and Technology, UAS, Raichur. Among the treatments seed polymer coating with Zn NPs at 750 ppm recorded significantly higher seed germination (96.00 %), seedling length (26.63 cm), seedling dry weight (85.00 mg), speed of germination (32.95), field emergence (89.67 %), seedling vigour index (2556), dehydrogenase activity (0.975 OD value) and α-amylase activity (25.67 mm) and lowest abnormal seedlings (2.50 %) over their bulk forms and control followed by Fe and Zn NPs at 500 ppm. However, in contrast to beneficial effects, these NPs also shown inhibitory effect on germination and seedling growth at higher concentration (nano Zn >750 ppm and nano Fe > 500 ppm). Hence, from the results it is concluded that Zn NPs at 750 ppm can be used to enhance quality of the pigeonpea seeds.

The increase in food production is greatly contributed by green revolution, thereby leading to reduction in people's starvation. However, this caused greater depletion of micronutrient reserve in soil and thereby accentuated wide spread deficiencies of micronutrients in crop species. Hence, biofortification program has been initiated to identify varieties having high iron and zinc along with high yield. In the present study 46 rice genotypes along with 4 checks were received from Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Hyderabad, India and were evaluated for yield and yield attributing traits, grain quality parameters and estimation of micronutrients.For yield and yield attributing characters most of the traits showed high heritability associated with high genetic advance indicating fixation of genes and presence of additive gene action in these traits. The results obtained by micronutrient estimation revealed that iron and zinc contents of dehusked grains differed significantly between the genotypes. Among various studied genotypes the promising genotypes with highest grain iron and zinc content along with higher yields and with intermediate amylose content were identified. These promising genotypes identified can be released to farmers after testing in multilocation trials for their stable performance or they can be used as parents in hybridization programme.

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