Formulation of a Hybrid Nanofertilizer for Slow and Sustainable Release of Micronutrients

Abstract

In this work, we have proposed a new formulation of a hybrid nanofertilizer (HNF) for slow and sustainable release of nutrients into soil and water. Urea-modified hydroxyapatite was synthesized, which is a rich source of nitrogen, calcium, and phosphate. Nanoparticles such as copper, iron, and zinc were incorporated into urea-modified hydroxyapatite to increase the efficiency of the proposed fertilizer. Different techniques including powder X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to get insight into the properties, morphology, and structure of the as-prepared fertilizer. The developed HNF was used in a field experiment on the ladies’ finger ( Abelmoschus esculentus ) plant. The slow release of HNF was observed during leaching studies and confirmed the availability of Ca 2+ , PO 4 3– , NO 2– , NO 3– , Cu 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Zn 2+ . Furthermore, the presence of Cu 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Zn 2+ nutrients in ladies’ finger was confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) experiment. A considerable increase in the physicochemical properties such as swelling ratio and water absorption and retention capacities of the proposed fertilizer was observed, which makes the fertilizer more attractive and beneficial compared with the commercial fertilizer. The composition of the proposed HNF was functionally valuable for slow and sustainable release of plant nutrients. The dose of prepared HNF applied was 50 mg/week, whereas the commercial fertilizer was applied at a dose of 5 g/week to A. esculentus . The obtained results showed a significant increase of Cu 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Zn 2+ nutrient uptake in A. esculentus as a result of slow release from HNF.

Engineered zinc oxide nanoparticles: an alternative to conventional zinc sulphate in neutral and alkaline soils for sustainable wheat production

“…In the present study, Zn-concentration in grains of wheat significantly increased at the application of 100 mg/L of ZnONPs to all these selected sites (Fig. 8) which might be ascribed to increased water absorption and retention capacities of nanoparticles (Tarafder et al 2020). Similarly, other micronutrient concentrations can be improved in agricultural soils and plants by the controlled application of nanoparticles.…”

Agronomic Biofortification with Se, Zn, and Fe: An Effective Strategy to Enhance Crop Nutritional Quality and Stress Defense—A Review

“…SeNPs were also stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and ascorbic acid with a diameter of about 70 nm were studied by Siddiqui et al (2021) The origin of Se formation at the nanoscale was characterized using spectrophotometer UV-VIS (peak at wavelength 400 nm described selenium formation at nano size). The application of Cu, Fe, and Zn NPs mixed with urea-modified hydroxyapatite (diameter about 38.21 nm) was studied by Tarafder et al (2020). Uptake, translocation, and accumulation of NPs depend on plant species and characteristics of NPs like size, chemical configuration, stability, and concentration.…”

Tools for Nano-Enabled Agriculture: Fertilizers Based on Calcium Phosphate, Silicon, and Chitosan Nanostructures

“…Such procedure is environmentally friendly and leads to formation of a biodegradable nanocomposite where doping molecules are embedded. The hybrid nanostructure has been tested for CuO delivery and demonstrates the appreciated ability to prolong the release of the Cu at a significant extent even in comparison to CuO-NPs [65,118] (Tables 3 and 6b).…”