Impact of ZnO Nanoparticles on Growth of Cowpea and Okra Plants under Salt Stress Conditions

Nadiyah Mohammad Alabdallah and Hassan Saeed Alzahrani

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Corresponding Author E-mail : hsalzahrani@kau.edu.sa

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2836

ABSTRACT: Salt stress causes a serious threat to agricultural productivity and global food security. It is one of the most pervasive crops limiting factor. This study examined the effect of six salinity concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of seawater); on the growth of two crop species, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. var.california blackeye NO.46) and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench var.Hasawi) in the presence or absence of (10 mg/L) of the green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) or zinc oxide (bulk ZnO), as a foliar spray after (20, 40 and 60 days) from sowing. The results showed a gradual decrease in shoot and root lengths, fresh and dry weights of shoot, leaf area and relative growth rate (RGR) with the increase of seawater concentrations in both plants. However, application of ZnO enhanced the growth parameters compared to the control plants, but better results were observed in the plants treated with (ZnO NPs). Thus, nanoparticles of (ZnO) environmentally friendly, cheap cost, and can be considered as a promising application to alleviate the effects of salt stress on plants.

KEYWORDS: Foliar Spray; Plant Growth; Nanotechnology; ZnO Nanoparticles

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