Application of green synthesized bimetallic nZVI-Cu nanoparticle as a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers to enhance growth and photosynthetic efficiency of rice seedlings.

Application of nanomaterials in agriculture has been extensively explored over the past decade leading to a wide ambit of nanoparticle-based agrochemicals. Metallic nanoparticles consisting of plant macro- and micro-nutrients have been used as nutritional supplements for plants through soil amendments, foliar sprays, or seed treatment. However, most of these studies emphasize monometallic nanoparticles which limit the range of usage and effectivity of such nanoparticles (NPs).

Foliar application of selenium affecting pollen viability, grain chalkiness, and transporter genes in cadmium accumulating rice cultivar: A pot study.

Under Cadmium (Cd) stress, rice grain quality and quantity are compromised, affecting human health. Application of Selenium (Se) mitigating Cd stress in rice was already reported, but its role in rescuing Cd induced damage in the reproductive parts in rice plants has not been studied before. To investigate the underlying mechanism, Se mediated alleviation of Cd-stress induced damage to pollen viability, germination rate, and grain chalkiness were studied.

Surface functionalization and size of polystyrene microplastics concomitantly regulate growth, photosynthesis and anti-oxidant status of Cicer arietinum L.

Microplastics are a recent entrant in the list of environmental pollutants, exhibiting great diversity owing to different sizes, surface charges, and morphologies. The present study explores the impact of varied size, surface functionalization, and concentration of polystyrene microplastics (PS MP) on plants. For this study, Cicer seedlings were exposed to two different sizes of PS (1 μm and 12 μm) with three different surface functionalization (plain, carboxylated, and aminated) and at three distinct concentrations (10, 50, and 100 mg/L).

Genotypic variation among 20 rice cultivars/landraces in response to cadmium stress grown locally in West Bengal, India.

Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous soil contaminant and causes environmental toxicity when present beyond the allowable limit in soil. It can alter growth and metabolism in both plants and animals even at very low concentration. Being sessile in nature, plants try to evade this harmful effect by adopting various defence mechanisms including activation of antioxidants and other metal homeostasis mechanisms.