Impact of the foliar application of potassium nanofertilizer on biomass, yield, nitrogen assimilation and photosynthetic activity in green beans

Abstract

The agricultural areas of the world face problems that create difficulties when producing food and the excessive use of fertilizers is generating a negative environmental impact. An alternative that appears as a solution to this problem is the use of nanofertilizers. Within nanofertilizers an area of opportunity is the application of macronutrients, which report an increase in absorption efficiency of 19% compared to conventional fertilizers. Potassium (K) is one of the three macronutrients most used in agriculture and its deficiency affects key processes in plant development, limiting crop production. However, the number of publications where K is used as a nanofertilizer is limited, despite this, products in this form are already on the market. Therefore, the aim of this research work was to study the effect of the foliar application of K nanofertilizer on biomass, yield, nitrogen assimilation and photosynthetic activity in green beans cv. ‘Strike’. K was applied in the form of a nanofertilizer in doses of 0, 50, 100 and 200 ppm. The biomass accumulation, yield, nitrate reductase enzyme activity, photosynthetic activity and photosynthetic pigments were evaluated. The dose of 100 ppm of K nanofertilizer obtained a higher accumulation of biomass, nitrate reductase activity, photosynthetic activity, SPAD values and total chlorophyll content. While the 200-ppm dose obtained a higher increase in yield. The results obtained suggest that the application of K nanofertilizers benefits the physiological development of plants. However, more studies are required to compare the application of nanofertilizers with traditional fertilizers.

The influence of potassium nanoparticles as a foliar fertilizer on onion growth, production, chemical content, and DNA fingerprint

“…The application of K-NPs (200 mg/l) as splatter fertilizer has a salutary impact on onion plant development and production ( Table 3 , Table 4 ) in line with the study of Márquez-Prieto et al [ 7 ] that indicated that green bean plant production improved when treated with 200 ppm nano potassium, possibly due to increased cell split [ 51 ] and several enzymatic growth and activity to improve crop quality [ 52 ]. Potassium acts on the enzymes responsible for protein composition, sugar conversion, nitrogen and carbon metabolism, and photosynthesis, thereby enhancing plant productivity and quality [ 19 , 53 ].…”

“…Fertilizers are typically used in food production to increase crop yield but can have detrimental ecological effects, so an alternative is the utilization of nano-fertilizers [ [6] , [7] , [8] ] which can boost absorption capacity by ∼19 % compared to traditional fertilizers [ 9 ] . Nano-fertilizers promote plant development and production [ 10 , 11 ], and are easily transported into cells due to their small size where they impact various metabolic and physiological processes [ 12 ] .…”

Evaluation of the Effect of Foliar Nano Nitrogen and Zinc on Chlorophyll (SPAD) and Qualitative Traits of Green Chilli in Comparison with Urea and ZnSO4

“…It might be because foliar application of N increases leaf N and chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll and leaf photosynthetic rate are closely related. Applying K nanofertilizer obtained a higher biomass accumulation, nitrate reductase activity, photosynthetic activity, SPAD values and total chlorophyll content [11]. Upadhyaya et al [12] and Thunugunta et al [13] reported identical comments.…”

Perspective Chapter: Application of Nanotechnology Solutions in Plants Fertilization and Environmental Remediation

“…Based on the findings obtained, it seems that the use of K nanofertilizers has a positive impact on the physiological growth of plants [73]. Drip irrigation with 75% nN and foliar treatment with 25% nN have a substantial effect on growth and biochemical parameters [74].…”