| Journal: |
BMC Plant Biology
springer
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Volume: |
24
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| Abstract: |
Owing to the uniqueness of quantum dots (QDs) as a potential nanomaterial for agricultural application, hence
in the present study, titanium dioxide quantum dots (TiO2 QDs) were successfully synthesized via sol-gel technique
and the physico-chemical properties of the prepared TiO2 QDs were analyzed. Based on the results, the TiO2 QDs
showed the presence of anatase phase of TiO2. TEM examination revealed spherical QDs morphology with an aver
age size of 7.69 ± 1.22 nm. The large zeta potential value (-20.9 ± 2.3 mV) indicate greater stability of the prepared TiO2
QDs in aqueous solutions. Moreover, in this work, the application of TiO2 QDs on Hibiscus sabdariffa plants was con
ducted, where H. sabdariffa plants were foliar sprayed twice a week in the early morning with different concentra
tions of TiO2 QDs (0, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30 ppm) to evaluate their influence on these plants in terms of morphological
indexes and biochemical parameters. The results exhibited an increasing impact of the different used concentrations
of TiO2 QDs on morphological indexes, such as fresh weight, dry weight, shoot length, root length, and leaf number,
and physio-biochemical parameters like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid contents, total pigments and total
phenolic contents. Remarkably, the most prominent result was recorded at 15 ppm TiO2 QDs where plant height, total
protein and enzymatic antioxidants like catalase and peroxidase were noted to increase by 47.6, 20.5, 29.5 and 38.3%,
respectively compared to control. Therefore, foliar spraying with TiO2 QDs positively serves as an effective strategy
for inducing optimistic effects in H. sabdariffa plants.
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