Created in Russia, nanoparticles have the ability to accelerate the growth of plants when applied as “feed”. This was reported by the press service of NUST MISIS.
In recent years, scientists have been experimenting with various metal nanoparticles applied to soil when watering plants. They are not nutrients and are directly absorbed by the plant – instead they stimulate metabolic processes or inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.
Now NUST MISIS has proposed introducing a colloidal solution of CoCuFeNi nanoparticles, a compound of cobalt, copper, iron, and nickel, into the soil.
“The suspension containing CoCuFeNi nanoparticles contributed to the increase in plant height by up to 12% in watercress and up to 50% in oil radish, and also the stems were noticeably elongated. This result shows that the synthesized nanoparticles are very suitable as microfertilizers for plants. The complex nature of its action on the plant is a result of their ability to penetrate cells, as well as subcellular organelles. The nutrient suspension showed positive results in plant biostimulation, the weight gain was 20% compared to irrigation with normal water, ”explained one of the authors of the study, Valentin Romanovsky.
In addition, the same compound suppressed the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by acting as an antibiotic. It also has a positive effect on plant growth and reduces the risk of transmission to humans with pathogenic bacteria.
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