Author(s):

Poornima R and Koti RV

Abstract: An investigation was initiated at Department of Crop Physiology, UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka to examine the effects of nano zinc oxide on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var M-35-1) growth, yield and grain Zn content. A pot experiment consisted of twelve treatments comprised of seed priming (200, 500 and 1000 ppm of nano ZnO and bulk ZnSO₄), foliar application (200, 500, 1000, and 1500 ppm of nano Zno) and 1000 ppm of ZnSO₄ (package of practice) with six replications was carried out. Nano ZnO 500 ppm spray recorded significantly higher plant height (186.7), leaf area (34), leaf area index (2.7) and TDM (143.7) as compared to 1000 ppm bulk ZnSO₄ (185, 31.7, 2.52 and 128.5) respectively. TDM is 16 percent higher in 500 ppm of nano foliar spray as compared to 1000 ppm of bulk foliar spray. Grain yield was 9.5 percent higher in 500 ppm of NFS and 1000 ppm NFS as compared to 1000 ppm of BFS. The gain zinc content was 5.6 % higher in 500 ppm of NFS as compare with 1000 ppm of BFS. Compared to control both nano ZnO (18 %) and Bulk ZnSO₄ (11%) have higher zinc accumulation in their grains. The inhibitory effect was observed in nano ZnO concentration >1000 ppm reveals the toxicity and need for judicious usage of nano particles in foliar applications. This is the first report on the effect of nano ZnO particles on sorghum growth, yield and grain Zn.

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