Title: Response of Wheat to Bulk and Nano form of different Nano particles.

Introduction:
Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is amongst the major cereal crops and is the staple food for
over 50% of the global population (FAO, 2014). In view of increasing demand, boosting
wheat production and productivity is a major challenge across the globe. To address these
challenges, innovative technologies with a potential of increasing the sustainability of the
present day cropping systems are required to be introduced in modern agriculture. Wheat
(Triticum aestivum L) is the most widely grown cereal crop in the world, distributed over 237
million hectares annually around the world, accounting for a total of 420 million tonnes
(Isitor et al., 1990; Langer and Hill, 1991; Olabanji et al., 2004), and for at least one-fifth of
man’s calorie intake (Ohiagu et al., 1987).
Wheat probably has been cultivated for over 10,000 years, originates in the Fertile Crescent,
along with other staple crops. However, ancestral wheat may have looked very different from
what we presently have today, with much smaller kernels. Early domesticators of wheat
obviously wanted to select for plants with particularly large kernels, since more nutrient
could be eked out from each stalk. Wheat is the most important staple food crop in the
world and provides food and livelihood security to over half (-3.5 billion) of the global
population.
It is the second important staple cereal food in India after rice. It is mostly eaten in the form
of chapaties. Wheat is also used for manufacturing bread, flakes, cakes, biscuits etc. Wheat
straw is a good source of feed for cattle. Wheat contains more protein (8–15%) than in other
cereals. Wheat proteins are of special significance.
It has wide adaptability and can be grown not only in tropical and subtropical zones but also
in temperate zones and the cold tracts of the far north. It can tolerate severe cold and snow. It
can be cultivated from sea level to as high as 3300 m. The optimum temperature range for
ideal germination of wheat seed is 20–25°C, though the seed can germinate in the
temperature range of 3.5–35°C. It can be grown in regions where rainfall varies from 25–150
cm/year. The wheat plants require medium (50–60%) humidity for their growth. But at the
time of maturity, crop requires less humidity and warm season. At the time of maturity, the
plants require 14–15°C.
Agriculture is the backbone of most developing countries. The explosive growth of world
population demands higher agricultural productivity to feed the increasing population. It is
necessary to use the modern technologies which can help agriculture to boost the yield.
Nanotechnology and nano-biotechnology are the emerging fields which have tremendous
potentials to renovate agriculture and allied fields. Yield of the crop is a complex trait
controlled by genetic, environmental and management factors. Target oriented, cheaper and
efficient technologies have to be employed for sustainable increase in production of wheat
crop.
Nanotechnology, a new emerging and modern field of science, is currently applied in many
areas like biotechnology and agriculture. Nanotechnology deals with atomic or molecular
aggregates of 1 to 100 nm in size and they fall in a transitional zone between the individual
molecules and the corresponding bulk materials. They hold unique properties which are
peculiar from their molecular and bulk counterparts. Nanoparticles have large specific surface
area, high surface energy, and quantum confinement. The characteristic feature of
nanoparticles may result in different environmental fate and behaviours than their bulk
counterparts.
Good seed germination behaviour is important for horticulture and agriculture. Uneven or
poor germination and subsequently inhomogeneous seedling growth can lead to great
financial losses e.g., reduced possibilities for mechanization, or lower prices of
inhomogeneous plant batches. Seed priming can increase speed and uniformity of
germination. Seed priming treatments can lead to better germination and establishment in
many crops such as maize,wheat, rice, canola. Pre-sowing seed treatments (seed priming)
include hydropriming, biopriming, seed soaking, hormonal priming, magneto-priming,
nanoparticle priming etc.
Plant growth and development are vastly affected by different abiotic and biotic stresses.
Seed priming is an effective tool for increasing seed germination and plant growth that will
eventually increase productivity under different environmental conditions and stresses.
Nanoparticles technology have immense future potential. Therefore, in view of the above
facts, present study will be carried out with the following objectives:
1. To estimate effect of different concentration of bulk and Nano form of zinc oxide,
titanium dioxide & silicon dioxide on seed germination & seedling vigour of wheat.
2. To estimate effect of different concentration of Bulk & Nano form on crop growth,
yield & seed quality.
3. Nanoparticles improved photosynthetic efficiency in wheat plants.

Review of literature:
The relevant report available in the literature appropriate for this investigation are reviewed
and summarized in this chapter under following heads;
2.1 To standardise optimum concentration of bulk and Nano form of zinc oxide,
titanium dioxide & silicon dioxide on seed germination and seedling vigour of
wheat.
2.2 To estimate effect of different concentration of Bulk & Nano form of zinc oxide,
titanium dioxide & silicon dioxide on crop growth, yield & seed quality.
2.3 Nanoparticles improved photosynthetic efficiency in wheat plants.

2.1 Effect of different concentration of bulk and Nano form of zinc oxide, titanium dioxide &
silicon dioxide on seed germination & seedling vigour of wheat.
Nanoparticle technology one of most modern innovative technology showing good
result in production enhancement of the crop in continuously changing climate and have
future potential for further study.
[ CITATION Pan18 \l 2057 ] suggest (2018) that the application of nanoparticles help to enhance
seed germination. seed treatment with nanoparticles at 50 ppm concentration increases root
length, shoot length, seedling length, shoot dry weight, seedling dry weight, seedling vigour
index I and seedling vigour index II as compared to seed soaking at 300 ppm concentration.
seed soaking up to 4 hr was better as compared to 6 and 8 hrs. Seed soaking with
nanoparticles specially TiO2, ZnO, and chitosan proved to enhance germination and seedling
growth indices of wheat crop.

2.1 To estimate effect of different concentration of Bulk & Nano form on crop growth, yield
& seed quality.

2.4 Nanoparticles improved photosynthetic efficiency in wheat plants.

[ CITATION Pra21 \l 2057 ] Wheat seeds primed with ZnO NPs (10 mg/L) showed affecting
overall primary photochemistry by enhancing the performance of water splitting complex at
donor side of PSII (Fv/Fo).The number of active reaction centres (RC) per chlorophyll
molecule were increased in Nano primed plants followed by increase in the
absorption(ABS),efficiency of excitation energy trapping (TR) and electron transport (ET)
from active reaction centres.
References
FAO. (2014). Prod stat. Core production data base.
Pankaj Singh Rawat, R. K. (Vol:12, No:1, 2018). Effect of Nanoparticles on Wheat Seed
Germination. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 13-16.
Prabha Rai-Kalal, A. J. (Volume 160, 2021). Priming with zinc oxide nanoparticles improve
germination and photosynthetic performance in wheat. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry,
341-351.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study “Response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L) to bulk and Nano form of different
Nanoparticles(NPs)” will be carried out during Rabi season at the N. E. Borlaug, Crop
Research Centre (CRC) of G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.
A series of quality test also will be conducted in seed physiology Laboratory of Department
of Agronomy, College of Agriculture.
3.1 Experimental site
The crop research centre is situated in the Tarai belt, 30 km southern end of foothills of
Shivalik range of Himalayas at 29.5 °N latitude and 79.29 °E longitude and an altitude of
243.83 m above mean sea level. The characteristic features of the soil are high water table,
shallow depth with calcareous nature.
3.2 Climate and weather
 Geographically, Pantnagar falls under humid sub-tropical region with hot dry summer and
cold winter. The weather conditions during the crop growing period will be quite favourable
for normal growth of wheat crop.
3.3 Experimental material
The experimental material of wheat WH 1105 (variety) is comprised of formulations dry and
wet with forms of Bulk and Nano(both) treated with zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and silicon
dioxide at different concentrations i.e. 50 ppm,100 ppm, 250 ppm & 750 ppm.
3.4 Experimental design
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3.5 Observations recorded
The observation recorded differently in lab and field as follows
In laboratory:
1.Seed germination test: Germination (ISTA, 2007) The germination test was conducted
using paper (between paper method) medium. Four replicates of 100 seeds each were
germinated in a room germinator maintained at 25°C and 95±2% RH. At the end of
fourteenth day of sowing, the number of normal seedlings in each replication was counted
and expressed in percentage.
2. Electrical conductivity of seed leachate.
3. Days taken to 50 percentage germination.
4.Germination Index/ Rate of emergence.
5.Mean germination time.
6.Rate of water imbibition.
7.Mobalisation Efficiency
8. Seedling length.
9. Seedling dry weight.
10.Vigour Index I and II.
11. Alpha amylase activity.
12. Time (hrs) for maximum no of radical emergence (>2mm)
13.Root and shoot length. Root Length Ten normal seedlings were selected at random from
each replication at the time of germination count and used for measuring the root length. Root
length was measured from the collar region to tip of primary root and the mean values were
expressed in centimetre. Shoot Length The ten seedlings used for measuring root length were
also used for measuring shoot length. The shoot length was measured from the collar region
to tip of leaf and the mean values were expressed in centimetre.
Field Study:
1. Field emergence (%)
2. Final plant stand establishment (%)
3.Chlorophyll content.
4. LAI.
5. Plant height.
6.Yield.
3.6 Statistical analysis
The following statistical procedures will be used in the present investigation
1. Analysis of variance