Abstract
Heat stress is among the most devastating abiotic stresses responsible for the reduction of maize yield. Therefore, the application of zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) is considered one of the precise and sustainable practices to meet the nutritional and food security demands of the global population. In this context, a field trial was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan, to assess the effect of ZnNPs, applied as foliar and seed priming, on the growth, biochemical and productivity of maize. The treatments consisted of foliar application of ZnNPs (100 and 150 mg L-1) and seed priming with ZnNPs (100 and 150 mg L-1) along with control. Heat stress indeed hindered the production of maize. However, the application of ZnNPs via foliar spray and seed priming showed a positive impact as compared to the control. Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control. Similarly, seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control. In addition, ZnNPs improved chlorophyll pigments (a, b, and carotenoids) and net photosynthetic rate as well as stabilized transpiration rate, electrolyte leakage, increased canopy temperature depression (CTD), and reduced heat shock protein (HTPs). Therefore, it is concluded that applying ZnNPs at a rate of 150 mg L-1 via foliar spray and seed priming is an effective strategy to enhance maize resilience against heat stress, leading to improved growth and yield components, thereby contributing to food security and agricultural sustainability.
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Claims 20
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnNPs at 150 mg L-1 increased maize leaf area by 15.25%.
- Treatment
- Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1e0
- Outcome
- leaf areae0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 15.25e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnNPs increased maize plant height by 9.03%.
- Treatment
- Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1e0
- Outcome
- plant heighte0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 9.03e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnNPs increased thousand-grain weight by 5.88%.
- Treatment
- Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1e0
- Outcome
- thousand-grain weighte0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 5.88e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnNPs increased biological yield by 7.54%.
- Treatment
- Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1e0
- Outcome
- biological yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 7.54e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnNPs increased grain yield by 7.73%.
- Treatment
- Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1e0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 7.73e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnNPs increased grain zinc content by 53.03%.
- Treatment
- Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1e0
- Outcome
- grain zinc contente0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 53.03e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnNPs increased total zinc uptake by 34.65%.
- Treatment
- Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1e0
- Outcome
- total zinc uptakee0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 34.65%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar spray of ZnNPs at the rate of 150 mg L-1 increased leaf area, plant height, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 15.25, 9.03, 5.88, 7.54, 7.73, 53.03 and 34.65% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming with ZnNPs increased leaf area by 12.21%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- leaf areae0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 12.21e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming increased plant height by 18.47%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- plant heighte0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 18.47e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming increased grains per ear by 6.26%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- grains ear-1e0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 6.26e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming increased thousand-grain weight by 15.30%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- thousand-grain weighte0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 15.30e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming increased biological yield by 16.71%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- biological yielde0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 16.71e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming increased grain yield by 9.40%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 9.40e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming increased grain zinc content by 26.16%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- grain zinc contente0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 26.16e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed priming increased total zinc uptake by 59.77%.
- Treatment
- seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- total zinc uptakee0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 59.77%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed priming with 150 mg L-1 of ZnNPs improved leaf area, plant height, grains ear-1, thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield, grain zinc content, and total zinc uptake by 12.21, 18.47, 6.26, 15.30, 16.71, 9.40, 26.16 and 59.77% as compared to control”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZnNPs improved chlorophyll pigments and photosynthetic rate.
- Treatment
- ZnNPse0
- Outcome
- chlorophyll pigments (a, b, and carotenoids) and net photosynthetic ratee0
- Direction
- improvede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ZnNPs improved chlorophyll pigments (a, b, and carotenoids) and net photosynthetic rate”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZnNPs stabilized transpiration rate and electrolyte leakage.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ZnNPs improved chlorophyll pigments (a, b, and carotenoids) and net photosynthetic rate as well as stabilized transpiration rate, electrolyte leakage”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZnNPs increased canopy temperature depression.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“increased canopy temperature depression (CTD)”
e1“ZnNPs improved chlorophyll pigments (a, b, and carotenoids) and net photosynthetic rate as well as stabilized transpiration rate, electrolyte leakage, increased canopy temperature depression (CTD)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZnNPs reduced heat shock protein.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ZnNPs improved chlorophyll pigments (a, b, and carotenoids) and net photosynthetic rate as well as stabilized transpiration rate, electrolyte leakage, increased canopy temperature depression (CTD), and reduced heat shock protein (HTPs)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors recommend 150 mg L-1 ZnNPs by foliar spray or seed priming to improve maize heat resilience and yield.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“applying ZnNPs at a rate of 150 mg L-1 via foliar spray and seed priming is an effective strategy to enhance maize resilience against heat stress, leading to improved growth and yield components”
t0“maize”
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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.