Abstract
Zinc (Zn) deficiency poses a significant global health concern, particularly in regions where rice is a staple food. Biofortification, the process of enhancing the nutrient content of crops, offers a sustainable solution. This study investigates the potential of soil applied zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) of different sizes (30, 40, and 95 nm) as an alternative to enhance Zn uptake, growth, and grain quality in two popular basmati rice cultivars (Pusa Basmati-1121 and Pusa Basmati-1509). Results showed that ZnO-NPs treatments performed significantly but among the various sizes, the 30 nm ZnO-NPs performed the best and increased the photosynthetic rate by 21.5–23.4%, stomatal conductance by 35.7–38.5%, chlorophyll a, b, and total content by 21.7–47%, and carotenoids by 38.2–46.2% compared to the control. Similarly, the performance of ZnO-NPs was significantly higher for metabolites especially protein, proline, and antioxidant enzymatic activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), particularly 30 nm ZnO-NPs increased the most by 18.1–36% compared to the control. Soil amendment with ZnO-NPs significantly (p < 0.05) improved root length, surface area, volume, and average root diameter compared to the control. Additionally, ZnO-NP treatment increased tillers per hill (46%), productive tillers per hill (25% ), panicle length (5–20%), grain weight per panicle (33.3–36.3%), and yield per hill (29.2–32.1%) over the control, with the 30 nm ZnO-NPs performing the best among the three sizes. Other sizes of NPs (40 and 95 nm) also showed a significant improvement in crop yield attributes. ZnO-NP soil amendment significantly increased Zn density in roots and grains, with the 30 nm nanoparticles resulting in the highest increase (~ 57%) in grain Zn content in both cultivars. Furthermore, soil amended with ZnO-NPs significantly (p < 0.05) reduced phytic acid content in the grains of both rice cultivars. These findings demonstrate that ZnO-NPs, especially in smaller sizes (30 nm), can serve as an effective nano-biofortification strategy, addressing Zn deficiency in rice . The long-term effects of ZnO-NPs on soil health, microbial balance, and nutrient cycling, as well as assessing bioaccumulation risks in ecosystems, could be examined in future studies.
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Claims 17
Claim · model-written summary
The 30 nm zinc oxide nanoparticles increased rice photosynthetic rate by 21.5–23.4% relative to control.
Verbatim
e0“the 30 nm ZnO-NPs performed the best and increased the photosynthetic rate by 21.5–23.4%”
e1“and carotenoids by 38.2–46.2% compared to the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
The 30 nm nanoparticles increased rice stomatal conductance by 35.7–38.5%.
Verbatim
e0“the 30 nm ZnO-NPs performed the best and increased the photosynthetic rate by 21.5–23.4%, stomatal conductance by 35.7–38.5%”
e1“and carotenoids by 38.2–46.2% compared to the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
The 30 nm nanoparticles increased rice chlorophyll content by 21.7–47%.
Verbatim
e0“the 30 nm ZnO-NPs performed the best and increased the photosynthetic rate by 21.5–23.4%, stomatal conductance by 35.7–38.5%, chlorophyll a, b, and total content by 21.7–47%”
e1“and carotenoids by 38.2–46.2% compared to the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
The 30 nm nanoparticles increased rice carotenoids by 38.2–46.2%.
Verbatim
e0“the 30 nm ZnO-NPs performed the best and increased the photosynthetic rate by 21.5–23.4%, stomatal conductance by 35.7–38.5%, chlorophyll a, b, and total content by 21.7–47%, and carotenoids by 38.2–46.2% compared to the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
The 30 nm nanoparticles produced the greatest reported increases in protein, proline and antioxidant enzymes, 18.1–36%.
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NPs was significantly higher for metabolites especially protein, proline, and antioxidant enzymatic activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), particularly 30 nm ZnO-NPs increased the most by 18.1–36% compared to the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Nanoparticle soil amendment improved rice root length, surface area and volume compared with control.
Verbatim
e0“Soil amendment with ZnO-NPs significantly (p < 0.05) improved root length, surface area, volume, and average root diameter compared to the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Nanoparticle soil amendment improved average rice root diameter compared with control.
Verbatim
e0“Soil amendment with ZnO-NPs significantly (p < 0.05) improved root length, surface area, volume, and average root diameter compared to the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Nanoparticle treatment increased rice tillers per hill by 46%.
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NP treatment increased tillers per hill (46%)”
e1“over the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Nanoparticle treatment increased productive rice tillers per hill by 25%.
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NP treatment increased tillers per hill (46%), productive tillers per hill (25% )”
e1“over the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Nanoparticle treatment increased panicle length by 5–20%.
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NP treatment increased tillers per hill (46%), productive tillers per hill (25% ), panicle length (5–20%)”
e1“over the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Nanoparticle treatment increased grain weight per panicle by 33.3–36.3%.
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NP treatment increased tillers per hill (46%), productive tillers per hill (25% ), panicle length (5–20%), grain weight per panicle (33.3–36.3%)”
e1“over the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Nanoparticle treatment increased rice yield per hill by 29.2–32.1%.
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NP treatment increased tillers per hill (46%), productive tillers per hill (25% ), panicle length (5–20%), grain weight per panicle (33.3–36.3%), and yield per hill (29.2–32.1%) over the control”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
The 40 and 95 nm nanoparticles also significantly improved rice yield attributes.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Other sizes of NPs (40 and 95 nm) also showed a significant improvement in crop yield attributes”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc oxide nanoparticle amendment increased zinc density in rice roots.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NP soil amendment significantly increased Zn density in roots and grains”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc oxide nanoparticle amendment increased zinc density in rice grains.
- Taxon
- basmati ricet0
- Treatment
- ZnO-NP soil amendmente0
- Outcome
- Zn density in roots and grainse0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“ZnO-NP soil amendment significantly increased Zn density in roots and grains”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
The 30 nm particles produced the greatest rice grain zinc increase, about 57%, in both cultivars.
- Taxon
- basmati ricet0
- Treatment
- 30 nm nanoparticlese0
- Outcome
- grain Zn contente0
- Direction
- highest increasee0
- Value
- ~ 57%e0
- Qualifier
- both cultivarse0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“the 30 nm nanoparticles resulting in the highest increase (~ 57%) in grain Zn content in both cultivars”
t0“basmati rice”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc oxide nanoparticle amendment reduced phytic acid content in grains of both rice cultivars.
- Taxon
- rice
Oryza sativae0 - Treatment
- soil amended with ZnO-NPse0
- Outcome
- phytic acid contente0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Qualifier
- both rice cultivarse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“soil amended with ZnO-NPs significantly (p < 0.05) reduced phytic acid content in the grains of both rice cultivars”
The same questions in other papers
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8 of 17 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
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.