Abstract
The use of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) as a fertilizer synergist to enhance crop growth has attracted increasing interest. However, current understanding about plant growth and soil response to CNPs is limited. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CNPs at different application rates on soil properties, the plant growth and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of corn (Zea mays L.) in two agricultural soils (Spodosol and Alfisol). The results showed that CNPs affected corn growth in a dose-dependent manner, augmenting and retarding growth at low and at high concentrations, respectively. The amendment at the optimal rate of 200 mg CNPs kg−1 significantly enhanced corn growth as indicated by improved plant height, biomass yield, nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency, which could be explained by the higher availability of phosphorus and nitrogen in the amended soils. The application of CNPs largely stimulated soil urease activity irrespectively of soil types. However, the responses of dehydrogenase and phosphatase to CNPs were dose dependent; their activity significantly increased with the increasing application rates of CNPs up to 200 mg kg−1 but declined at higher rates (>400 mg kg−1). These findings have important implications in the field application of CNPs for enhancing nutrient use efficiency and crop production in tropical/subtropical regions.
Highlights
The increase in global population, combined with improved income and dietary changes, is driving an ever-increasing food demand that is expected to rise by 70% between and 2050 [1]
Spodosol soil, which could be associated with Alfisol soil being more fertile with higher clay, organic matter content, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and available nutrients
The effects of Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) on plant height varied with application rates and soil types (p < 0.05)
Summary
The increase in global population, combined with improved income and dietary changes, is driving an ever-increasing food demand that is expected to rise by 70% between and 2050 [1]. Nanotechnology has shown great potential in terms of enhancing plant growth due to small size, large surface area and the high reactivity of nanoparticles (NPs) [4]. Intensive studies have focused on nano-fertilizers (NFs) and/or nano-additives that could serve as nutrient or fertilizer synergist to enhance seed germination rates, plant growth, crop yield and soil quality [5,6]. Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) were applied to augment crop production [7], seed germination [8], cell division [9,10], water uptake [11] and photosynthesis [12]. The number of tomato fruits and flowers was doubled when the plants were treated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) [7].
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