Chitosan zinc nanocomposite: A promising slow releasing zinc nano fertilizer

Abstract

In the present era, zinc deficiency in agricultural soil is a globally widespread issue and it results in depressed plant growth and food grains with less nutrition. Consumption of such zinc-deficient diets may lead to many lifestyle diseases in humans. Sustained nutrient availability from conventional fertilizers is one of the challenges being faced in the agricultural sector. Nano fertilizers are a promising area for the fertilizer industry with a huge potential to improve nutrient retention for optimal growth. We herein report the synthesis of zinc nanocomposite utilizing chitosan, a nature-derived biopolymer as a nutrient carrier to sustain crop production. It was prepared by ionic gelation method using sodium tripolyphosphate as cross-linking agent. The morphology and the hybrid nature of the new nanocomposite were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy(FE-SEM), EDAX, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and FT-IR spectroscopy. Results from the atomic absorption spectrum after soil percolation studies reveal the release of zinc nutrients in a controlled manner as compared to conventional zinc fertilizer. This indicates that a chitosan-based composite could be a viable alternative method to be used as a nanocarrier for nutrients in agronomic biofortification.