Potential of Iron Nanoparticles to Increase Germination and Growth of Wheat Seedling

Rapidly expanding use of nanoparticles in every discipline of life necessitates finding their potential to increase food production to match with burgeoning population. This study was conducted first time in Bangladesh to determine the potentiality of iron nanoparticles for enhancing germination and growth of BARI Gom 25. Two experiments were conducted for this purpose. One was synthesis of iron nanoparticles. Another was seed priming effect on germination and growth of wheat seedlings. An aqoustic method has been considered to prepare iron nanoparticles in water by reducing their ionic salts such as FeCl 3 in presence of surfactant (PVP) under oilbath heating for several minutes. The synthesized nanoparticles were purified by precipitation method. A sand culture seedlings growth experiment was conducted to quantify nanomaterials deliver to wheat seedlings. The treatments of the experiment were determined, including nanoparticles of iron at two levels like before germination and seven days of germination; doses of priming at five concentration levels of nanoparticles were 0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 ppm. Seed germination and seedlings growth was regularly affected with 1.0 to 2.0 ppm but decreased significantly at 2.5 ppm of iron nanoparticles. This study concluded that optimum level of iron nanoparticles concentration helps to increase germination and growth response of wheat seedlings. Further experimentation is required to explore the internal mechanism of iron nanoparticle absorption and mode of application for yield maximization of wheat.