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Abstract

Allium porrum, a biennial crop of the family Amaryllidaceae, is widely cultivated in a temperate region and valued for its nutritional contribution, particularly iron and potassium. However, the soils of South Punjab are severely deficient in these essential micronutrients, limiting the crop productivity. Conventional fertilization strategies are often inefficient due to the leaching soil degradation and environmental concerns. In this study, an eco-friendly green synthesis approach was employed to produce iron oxides and potassium oxide nanoparticles using leaf extract followed by the chitosan coating to enhance the stability and bioavailability. Recent size nanoparticles were characterized using UV spectroscopy, FDIR, CEM, XRD, EDS analysis, confirming the successful formation, functional group elemental composition, and nano-scale size distribution. Iron oxide nanoparticles exhibited the absorption peak at 300-350 nm while potassium oxide nanoparticle range from 270 to 280 nm. Particle size range between 18 to 45 nm depending on coating status. Nanoparticles were applied to the soil through direct broadcasting resulting in increased iron and potassium availability with improved growth performance in the seasonal crop. This finding demonstrates the potential of plant-mediated nanoparticle synthesis as a sustainable strategy to improve soil fertility and crop growth, offering an environmentally safe alternate to conventional fertilizers.

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