Abstract
The use of engineered nanomaterials has increased as a result of their positive impact on many sectors of the economy, including agriculture. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are now used to enhance seed germination, plant growth, and photosynthetic quantum efficiency and as antimicrobial agents to control plant diseases. In this study, we examined the effect of AgNP dosage on the seed germination of three plant species: corn (Zea mays L.), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Matsum. & Nakai) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.). This experiment was designed to study the effect of AgNPs on germination percentage, germination rate, mean germination time, root length and fresh and dry weight of seedlings for the three species. Seven concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 mg/ml) of AgNPs were examined at the seed germination stage. The three species had different dose responses to AgNPs in terms of germination parameters and the measured growth characteristics. The germination rates of the three plants were enhanced in response to AgNPs. Significant enhancement of the germination percentage values was observed after treatment of the watermelon and zucchini plants with AgNPs in comparison with untreated seeds. AgNPs showed a toxic effect on corn root elongation, whereas watermelon and zucchini seedling growth were positively affected by certain concentrations of AgNPs. This study showed that exposure to AgNPs caused both positive and negative effects on plant growth and germination.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticle treatment significantly enhanced germination percentage of watermelon compared with untreated seeds.
- Taxon
- watermelon
Citrullus lanatuse1 - Treatment
- AgNPse1
- Outcome
- germination percentagee1
- Direction
- enhancemente1
- Comparator
- untreated seedse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Significant enhancement of the germination percentage values was observed after treatment of the watermelon and zucchini plants with AgNPs in comparison with untreated seeds”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticle treatment significantly enhanced germination percentage of zucchini compared with untreated seeds.
- Taxon
- zucchini
Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepoe1 - Treatment
- AgNPse1
- Outcome
- germination percentagee1
- Direction
- enhancemente1
- Comparator
- untreated seedse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Significant enhancement of the germination percentage values was observed after treatment of the watermelon and zucchini plants with AgNPs in comparison with untreated seeds”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticles had a toxic effect on corn root elongation.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse2 - Treatment
- AgNPse2
- Outcome
- root elongatione2
- Direction
- toxic effecte2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“AgNPs showed a toxic effect on corn root elongation”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticles positively affected watermelon seedling growth at certain concentrations.
- Taxon
- watermelonCitrullus lanatuse3
- Treatment
- AgNPse3
- Outcome
- seedling growthe3
- Direction
- positively affectede3
- Qualifier
- by certain concentrationse3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“whereas watermelon and zucchini seedling growth were positively affected by certain concentrations of AgNPs”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticles positively affected zucchini seedling growth at certain concentrations.
- Taxon
- zucchiniCucurbita pepo subsp. pepoe3
- Treatment
- AgNPse3
- Outcome
- seedling growthe3
- Direction
- positively affectede3
- Qualifier
- by certain concentrationse3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“whereas watermelon and zucchini seedling growth were positively affected by certain concentrations of AgNPs”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticles enhanced germination rate of corn.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse6
- Treatment
- AgNPse5
- Outcome
- germination ratese5
- Direction
- enhancede5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“The germination rates of the three plants were enhanced in response to AgNPs”
e6“three plant species: corn (Zea mays L.), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Matsum. & Nakai) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticles enhanced germination rate of watermelon.
- Taxon
- watermelonCitrullus lanatuse6
- Treatment
- AgNPse5
- Outcome
- germination ratese5
- Direction
- enhancede5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“The germination rates of the three plants were enhanced in response to AgNPs”
e6“three plant species: corn (Zea mays L.), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Matsum. & Nakai) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver nanoparticles enhanced germination rate of zucchini.
- Taxon
- zucchiniCucurbita pepo subsp. pepoe6
- Treatment
- AgNPse5
- Outcome
- germination ratese5
- Direction
- enhancede5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“The germination rates of the three plants were enhanced in response to AgNPs”
e6“three plant species: corn (Zea mays L.), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Matsum. & Nakai) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.)”
The same questions in other papers
silver nanoparticle · growth · Zea mays (maize)Results differ
14 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
11 papers more in this group
See all 15 papers →silver nanoparticle · growth · Cucurbita pepoResults agree
2 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
silver nanoparticle · growth · Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.