Abstract
Projected population increases over the next 30 years have elevated the need to develop novel agricultural technologies to dramatically increase crop yield, particularly under conditions of high pathogen pressure. In this study, silica nanoparticles (NPs) with tunable dissolution rates were synthesized and applied to watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) to enhance plant growth while mitigating development of the Fusarium wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum. The hydrolysis rates of the silica particles were controlled by the degree of condensation or the catalytic activity of aminosilane. The results demonstrate that the plants treated with fast dissolving NPs maintained or increased biomass whereas the particle-free plants had a 34% decrease in biomass. Further, higher silicon concentrations were measured in root parts when the plants were treated with fast dissolving NPs, indicating effective silicic acid delivery. In a follow-up field study over 2.5 months, the fast dissolving NP treatment enhanced fruit yield by 81.5% in comparison to untreated plants. These findings indicate that the colloidal behavior of designed nanoparticles can be critical to nanoparticle-plant interactions, leading to disease suppression and plant health as part of a novel strategy for nanoenabled agriculture.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Fast dissolving silica nanoparticles maintained or increased watermelon biomass while particle-free plants lost 34%.
- Taxon
- watermelon
Citrullus lanatust0 - Treatment
- fast dissolving NPse0
- Outcome
- biomasse0
- Direction
- maintained or increasede0
- Qualifier
- 34% decrease in biomasse0
- Comparator
- particle-free plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the plants treated with fast dissolving NPs maintained or increased biomass whereas the particle-free plants had a 34% decrease in biomass”
t0“Silica Nanoparticle Dissolution Rate Controls the Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)”
Claim · model-written summary
Particle-free watermelon plants lost 34% biomass.
- Taxon
- watermelonCitrullus lanatust0
- Outcome
- biomasse0
- Direction
- decreasee0
- Value
- 34%e0
- Qualifier
- particle-free plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the particle-free plants had a 34% decrease in biomass”
t0“Silica Nanoparticle Dissolution Rate Controls the Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fast dissolving nanoparticles yielded higher silicon concentrations in roots.
- Taxon
- watermelonCitrullus lanatust0
- Organ / stage
- root partse0
- Treatment
- fast dissolving NPse0
- Outcome
- silicon concentrationse0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“higher silicon concentrations were measured in root parts when the plants were treated with fast dissolving NPs”
t0“Silica Nanoparticle Dissolution Rate Controls the Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fast dissolving nanoparticles enhanced field fruit yield by 81.5% versus untreated watermelon.
- Taxon
- watermelonCitrullus lanatust0
- Treatment
- fast dissolving NP treatmente0
- Outcome
- fruit yielde0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Value
- 81.5%e0
- Comparator
- untreated plantse0
- Setting
- field studye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In a follow-up field study over 2.5 months, the fast dissolving NP treatment enhanced fruit yield by 81.5% in comparison to untreated plants.”
t0“Silica Nanoparticle Dissolution Rate Controls the Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude designed nanoparticle colloidal behavior is critical to disease suppression and plant health.
- Taxon
- watermelonCitrullus lanatust0
- Outcome
- disease suppression and plant healthe0
- Qualifier
- colloidal behavior of designed nanoparticlese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the colloidal behavior of designed nanoparticles can be critical to nanoparticle-plant interactions, leading to disease suppression and plant health”
t0“Silica Nanoparticle Dissolution Rate Controls the Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)”
The same questions in other papers
nanoparticle · nutrient: content · Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- positive
nanoparticle · growth · Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
nanoparticle · yield · 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.