Abstract
Abiotic stress has a significant influence on plant growth and development, with drought being a particularly damaging ecological condition that inhibits maize growth and production. Nanotechnology provides a novel technique for increasing agricultural yield under challenging conditions. A pot experiment was performed to investigate the mediatory effect of green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) from moringa leaf extract in improving maize tolerance to drought. The experiment contained two factors: a) stress, including control-no stress (100% field capacity) and drought stress (50% field capacity), and b) foliar application, including control-no spray, water spray, and ZnO-NPs foliar application (50, 100, and 150 ppm). Results revealed that drought stress decreased the morphological attributes such as SFW by 28% and LAI by 26%, and photosynthetic pigments such as total chlorophyll contents by 20% and carotenoids by 24%, while the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) among the other treatments significantly increased these morphological attributes by 44% and 34% respectively, and photosynthetic pigments by 38% and by 44% respectively under drought stress conditions. The drought stress caused an increase in the MDA by 22% and H 2 O 2 by 50% as compared to control conditions. In contrast, the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) lowered the production of ROS by 42% and by 43%, by improving the enzymatic antioxidant activity like SOD by 37% and POD by 28% under drought stress. Remarkable increases in the osmoprotactants accumulation, such as proline by 36% and TSS by 29%, were observed by the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) to overcome the adverse effects under drought stress. The study found that green-synthesized ZnO-NPs improve maize tolerance to drought by enhancing water status, antioxidant efficiency, and osmotic adjustment, suggesting that nanoparticle-mediated stress alleviation is a viable agricultural technique. Future study needs to focus on cellular, molecular pathways and field confirmation of long-term environmental effects. Moreover, all the foliar-applied treatments performed better as observed NP100> NP150> NP50> WS> control. • Drought stress adversely affects the growth of maize plants. • The use of green synthesized ZnO-NPs is a sustainable approach to mitigate drought stress. • ZnO-NPs show remarkable improvement in growth, plant water status, antioxidant defense system, and osmolyte accumulation in maize plants. • Reduce the overproduction of ROS in drought-exposed plants to enhance tolerance against drought stress.
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Claims 18
Claim · model-written summary
Drought stress decreased SFW by 28% in maize relative to control-no stress.
- Treatment
- drought stress (50% field capacity)e1
- Outcome
- SFWe2
- Direction
- decreasede2
- Value
- 28%e2
- Comparator
- control-no stress (100% field capacity)e1
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“control-no stress (100% field capacity) and drought stress (50% field capacity)”
e2“drought stress decreased the morphological attributes such as SFW by 28% and LAI by 26%”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought stress decreased LAI by 26% in maize relative to control-no stress.
- Treatment
- drought stress (50% field capacity)e1
- Outcome
- LAIe2
- Direction
- decreasede2
- Value
- 26%e2
- Comparator
- control-no stress (100% field capacity)e1
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“control-no stress (100% field capacity) and drought stress (50% field capacity)”
e2“drought stress decreased the morphological attributes such as SFW by 28% and LAI by 26%”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought stress decreased total chlorophyll content by 20% in maize relative to control-no stress.
- Treatment
- drought stress (50% field capacity)e1
- Outcome
- total chlorophyll contentse2
- Direction
- decreasede3
- Value
- 20%e2
- Comparator
- control-no stress (100% field capacity)e1
- Setting
- pot experimente4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“control-no stress (100% field capacity) and drought stress (50% field capacity)”
e2“photosynthetic pigments such as total chlorophyll contents by 20% and carotenoids by 24%”
e3“drought stress decreased the morphological attributes such as SFW by 28% and LAI by 26%”
e4“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought stress decreased carotenoid content by 24% in maize relative to control-no stress.
- Treatment
- drought stress (50% field capacity)e1
- Outcome
- carotenoidse2
- Direction
- decreasede3
- Value
- 24%e2
- Comparator
- control-no stress (100% field capacity)e1
- Setting
- pot experimente4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“control-no stress (100% field capacity) and drought stress (50% field capacity)”
e2“photosynthetic pigments such as total chlorophyll contents by 20% and carotenoids by 24%”
e3“drought stress decreased the morphological attributes such as SFW by 28% and LAI by 26%”
e4“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased SFW in maize by 44% relative to the other treatments under drought stress.
- Treatment
- the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- SFWe2
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 44%e1
- Qualifier
- under drought stress conditionse3
- Comparator
- the other treatmentse1
- Setting
- pot experimente4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) among the other treatments significantly increased these morphological attributes by 44% and 34% respectively”
e2“drought stress decreased the morphological attributes such as SFW by 28% and LAI by 26%”
e3“photosynthetic pigments by 38% and by 44% respectively under drought stress conditions”
e4“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased LAI in maize by 34% relative to the other treatments under drought stress.
- Treatment
- the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- LAIe2
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 34%e1
- Qualifier
- under drought stress conditionse3
- Comparator
- the other treatmentse1
- Setting
- pot experimente4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) among the other treatments significantly increased these morphological attributes by 44% and 34% respectively”
e2“drought stress decreased the morphological attributes such as SFW by 28% and LAI by 26%”
e3“photosynthetic pigments by 38% and by 44% respectively under drought stress conditions”
e4“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased photosynthetic pigments by 38% in maize under drought stress relative to the other treatments.
- Treatment
- the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- photosynthetic pigmentse2
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 38%e2
- Qualifier
- under drought stress conditionse2
- Comparator
- the other treatmentse1
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) among the other treatments significantly increased these morphological attributes by 44% and 34% respectively”
e2“photosynthetic pigments by 38% and by 44% respectively under drought stress conditions”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased photosynthetic pigments by 44% in maize under drought stress relative to the other treatments.
- Treatment
- the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- photosynthetic pigmentse2
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 44%e2
- Qualifier
- under drought stress conditionse2
- Comparator
- the other treatmentse1
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar application of ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) among the other treatments significantly increased these morphological attributes by 44% and 34% respectively”
e2“photosynthetic pigments by 38% and by 44% respectively under drought stress conditions”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought stress increased MDA by 22% in maize compared with control conditions.
- Treatment
- drought stresse1
- Outcome
- MDAe1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 22%e1
- Comparator
- control conditionse1
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“The drought stress caused an increase in the MDA by 22% and H 2 O 2 by 50% as compared to control conditions”
e2“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought stress increased H2O2 by 50% in maize compared with control conditions.
- Treatment
- drought stresse1
- Outcome
- H 2 O 2e1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 50%e1
- Comparator
- control conditionse1
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“The drought stress caused an increase in the MDA by 22% and H 2 O 2 by 50% as compared to control conditions”
e2“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) lowered ROS production by 42% in drought-stressed maize.
- Treatment
- foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- production of ROSe1
- Direction
- lowerede1
- Value
- 42%e1
- Qualifier
- under drought stresse2
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) lowered the production of ROS by 42% and by 43%”
e2“by improving the enzymatic antioxidant activity like SOD by 37% and POD by 28% under drought stress”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) lowered ROS production by 43% in drought-stressed maize.
- Treatment
- foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- production of ROSe1
- Direction
- lowerede1
- Value
- 43%e1
- Qualifier
- under drought stresse2
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) lowered the production of ROS by 42% and by 43%”
e2“by improving the enzymatic antioxidant activity like SOD by 37% and POD by 28% under drought stress”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased SOD activity by 37% in drought-stressed maize.
- Treatment
- foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- SODe2
- Direction
- increaseinferrede2
- Value
- 37%e2
- Qualifier
- under drought stresse2
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) lowered the production of ROS by 42% and by 43%”
e2“by improving the enzymatic antioxidant activity like SOD by 37% and POD by 28% under drought stress”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased POD activity by 28% in drought-stressed maize.
- Treatment
- foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- PODe2
- Direction
- increaseinferrede2
- Value
- 28%e2
- Qualifier
- under drought stresse2
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) lowered the production of ROS by 42% and by 43%”
e2“by improving the enzymatic antioxidant activity like SOD by 37% and POD by 28% under drought stress”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased proline by 36% in drought-stressed maize.
- Treatment
- foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- prolinee2
- Direction
- increasese2
- Value
- 36%e2
- Qualifier
- under drought stresse1
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“were observed by the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) to overcome the adverse effects under drought stress”
e2“Remarkable increases in the osmoprotactants accumulation, such as proline by 36% and TSS by 29%”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) increased TSS by 29% in drought-stressed maize.
- Treatment
- foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm)e1
- Outcome
- TSSe2
- Direction
- increasese2
- Value
- 29%e2
- Qualifier
- under drought stresse1
- Setting
- pot experimente3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“were observed by the foliar-applied ZnO-NPs (100 ppm) to overcome the adverse effects under drought stress”
e2“Remarkable increases in the osmoprotactants accumulation, such as proline by 36% and TSS by 29%”
e3“A pot experiment was performed”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest nanoparticle-mediated stress alleviation is a viable agricultural technique for maize.
- Outcome
- nanoparticle-mediated stress alleviation is a viable agricultural techniquee1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“nanoparticle-mediated stress alleviation is a viable agricultural technique”
Claim · model-written summary
All foliar-applied treatments (ZnO-NPs at 50, 100 and 150 ppm and water spray) performed better than the control, with the ranking NP100 > NP150 > NP50 > WS > control.
- Treatment
- foliar-applied treatmentse1
- Outcome
- performed bettere1
- Direction
- performed bettere1
- Comparator
- controle1
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improving maize tolerance to drought”
e1“all the foliar-applied treatments performed better as observed NP100> NP150> NP50> WS> control”
e2“A pot experiment was performed”
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1 paper in the same direction as this paper
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8 of 19 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.