Background: This study examined the effects of TiO2 NPs on the morphological growth and chlorophyll content of Solanum lycopersicum plants. The nanoparticles either promoted or inhibited early plant growth, including shoot length, root development, and total biomass. Changes in chlorophyll a and b levels were examined to determine the physiological effects of NPs on plants.
Methods: TiO2 NPs was synthesized using a chemical precipitation method and characterized to evaluate their structural and optical properties. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed the optical transmittance of the NPs, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) verified their crystalline phase. Particle size analysis (PSA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine the precise size distribution and surface morphology of the NPs. To investigate their subsequent biological effects on S. lycopersicum seeds, the seeds were treated with different concentrations of 15, 30, 60, 120, and 240 mgL-1. This exposure was designed to systematically evaluate the phenotypic changes caused by the nanoparticles.
Results: The study showed a concentration-dependent effect on plant growth, with lower treatments enhancing growth, but higher concentrations of 60, 120, and 240 mgL-1 causing phytotoxicity and morphological abnormalities in vegetative parts. While physiological such as seed germination, plant height, and root and shoot growth initially increased in conditions, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed clear biochemical changes in plant tissue, particularly an additional functional group, alkyl nitrites, characterized by an asymmetric NO2 stretch, which was particularly evident at a concentration of 60 mgL-1.
Conclusion: Nanoparticle phytotoxicity is typically observed with higher concentrations and exhibited both positive and negative growth responses by altering plant morphology and chlorophyll content chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid levels increased at concentrations of 15 and 120 mgL-1, but decreased at all other treatment levels compared to the control group. TiO2 NPs can actively regulate plant growth depending on the dose.
Chlorophyll, Phytotoxicity, Solanum lycopersicum, TiO2 nanoparticles
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