Abstract
Both the functionalized and non functionalized carbon nanomaterials influence fruit and crop production in edible plants and vegetables. The fullerene, C60 and carbon nanotubes have been shown to increase the water retaining capacity, biomass and fruit yield in plants up to ~118% which is a remarkable achievement of nanotechnology in recent years. The fullerene treated bitter melon seeds also increase the phytomedicine contents such as cucurbitacin-B (74%), lycopene (82%), charantin (20%) and insulin (91%). Since as little as 50 μg mL−1 of carbon nanotubes increase the tomato production by about 200%, they may be exploited to enhance the agriculture production in future. It has been observed that, in certain cases, non functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes are toxic to both plants and animals but the toxicity can be drastically reduced if they are functionalized.
Highlights
History of carbon is difficult to trace it is as old as human civilization
It is known that multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) do not have any significant effect on seed germination in a variety of plants even when treated for five days with as high concentration as 2000 mg L−1 [39]
Elena et al [64] have shown that MWCNTs accumulated at the root surface quite often penetrate the epidermal cells causing injury as a result of which the level of peroxidase activity is elevated
Summary
History of carbon is difficult to trace it is as old as human civilization. Charcoal was used for water purification and adsorbent by ancient Hindus in India, and wood charcoal as an adsorbent and purifying agent by Egyptians and Sumerians as early as 3750 to 1500BC [1]. While they are known to be useful in (many cases) seed germination, root growth and photosynthesis there are many other aspects like; uptake and rejection, accumulation and transportation and transmission of nanomaterial in the progeny. Their effect on rate of germination, increase in biomass, absorption and translocation in different parts of plants has been assessed.
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