Synthesis of nano zinc oxide by using hydrothermal method and its effect on germination ability of chestnut seeds (Castanea mollissima)

Abstract

The traditional use of large quantities of fertilizers causes tremendous consequences to the environment. In this context, nanotechnology emerges as a new direction for sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) are widely used in various fields, such as medicine or electronics. Several studies indicate that nano ZnO may be considered a potential nanofertilizer. Its administration in the early sowing stages, i.e., seed priming, proved to be effective in improving the germination rate, seedling and plant growth, and ameliorating the indicators of the plants. In this study, we synthesized ZnO nanoparticles by using the hydrothermal method. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to analyze the structure of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles. The results show that ZnO nanoparticles are spherical, with diameters ranging from 11.379 to 23.729 nm. These ZnO nanoparticles were used in the germination and root stimulation of chestnut seeds (Castanea mollissimab). The experiments show that these nanoparticles significantly improved the germination rate and root growth of chestnut seeds.