PJB-2020-439
Foliar Applications of Bio-fabricated Selenium Nanoparticles to Improve Growth of the Wheat Plants Under Drought Stress
Muhammad Ikram
Abstract
The present study was aimed to biosynthesize selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and assess their foliar applications to improve the growth of wheat under controlled irrigation and drought stress. Bud aqueous extract of Allium sativum L. was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent of SeNPs followed by their optical and morphological characterization by using UV–Vis spectroscopy, SEM, FTIR, and EDX analysis. Various concentrations of SeNPs (10, 20, 30, 40 mg/L) were exogenously applied to drought-tolerant (V1) and drought susceptible (V2) wheat varieties at the trifoliate stage. Under positive control conditions, plants were irrigated with 450 ml of water/pot (100% field capacity) and under water deficit environment plants were irrigated with 160 ml/pot (35% field capacity). Remarkable increases in plant height, shoot length, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root length, root fresh weight, root dry weight, leaf area, leaf number, and leaf length has been observed when 30 mg/L concentration of SeNPs was used as compared to positive and negative control experiments. While the plant morphological parameters decreased gradually at higher concentrations (40 mg/L) in both selected wheat varieties. Therefore, 30 mg/L concentration of SeNPs was found most preferable to enhance the growth of selected wheat varieties under normal and water-deficient conditions.
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