Chitosan nanoparticles modulate plant growth, and yield, as well as thrips infestation in Capsicum spp

A review of chitosan nanoparticles: Nature's gift for transforming agriculture through smart and effective delivery mechanisms

Chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) have emerged as a promising tool in agricultural advancements due to their unique properties including, biocompatability, biodegradability, non-toxicity and remarkable versatility. These inherent properties along with their antimicrobial, antioxidant and eliciting activities enable CNPs to play an important role in increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing nutrient absorption and improving pest management strategies. Furthermore, the nano-formulation of chitosan have the ability to encapsulate various agricultural amendments, enabling the controlled release of pesticides, fertilizers, plant growth promoters and biocontrol agents, thus offering precise and targeted delivery mechanisms for enhanced efficiency. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest research and developments in the use of CNPs for enhancing agricultural practices through smart and effective delivery mechanisms. It discusses the synthesis methods, physicochemical properties, and their role in enhancing seed germination and plant growth, crop protection against biotic and abiotic stresses, improving soil quality and reducing the environmental pollution and delivery of agricultural amendments. Furthermore, the potential environmental benefits and future directions for integrating CNPs into sustainable agricultural systems are explored. This review aims to shed light on the transformative potential of chitosan nanoparticles as nature's gift for revolutionizing agriculture and fostering eco-friendly farming practices.

Copper and Silver Nanoparticle Seed Priming and Foliar Spray Modulate Plant Growth and Thrips Infestation in Capsicum spp

Nanoparticles (NPs) have the potential to improve plant health and secondary metabolite production. In the present study, three different NPs, i.e., Ag, Cu, and Cu-Ag NPs were produced in the range from 25 to 86 nm, with zeta potentials ranging from -28.8 to -38.5 mV. The synthesized NPs were used for seed priming and foliar spray on three varieties of Capsicum annuum. L, i.e., Arka Sweta (AS), Arka Meghana (AM), and Arka Harita (AH) plants grown under greenhouse conditions. Seed priming at various concentrations of NPs (1, 10, 20 ppm) enhanced the seed germination (96%), seedling vigor index (2494-3112.66), seedling length (6-49%), and biomass (46%) of 45 days old Arka Meghana seedlings. Additionally, all plant tissues accumulated significantly higher amounts of chlorophyll (51-142%), carotenoids (23-94.2%), total phenolic content (73%), and total flavonoid content (57%), compared with the control (p ≤ 0.05). The foliar spray of NPs (20-100 ppm) has a protective effect on the chili plants against thrips infestation (30-76%). The foliar spray enhanced chlorophyll (15-62%), carotenoids (15-50%), total phenolic content (20-62%), total flavonoid content (64-99%), reducing sugars (15-97%), total antioxidant activity (15-142%), ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (15-109%), DPPH (129-54 mg mL-1), and capsaicinoids (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin) (82-128%). This study illustrates that Ag, Cu, and Cu-Ag NPs suppress thrips infestation and proliferation with enhanced plant growth and biochemical activity, which is inversely proportional to the NP size. Chemical NPs play a crucial role in the economic significance of chili plants, offering a promising avenue for developing pesticides to effectively combat thrips infestation. This advancement holds great potential in enhancing the overall agronomic productivity of the chili crops.