Evaluation of effects of gold nanoparticles in chitosan on hyacinth plants

Abstract

In the research on the influence of nanoparticles on plants, it is important to identify both the optimal concentrations of nanoparticles and the growing stage in which the plant is sensitive to a certain type of treatment. The study on the influence of nanoparticles on hyacinth bulbs was carried out in an experiment in which 4 treatment variants were used simultaneously, each variant having 3 repetitions. Two solutions with different concentrations of gold nanoparticles in chitosan (25 and 50 μg/mL) were used as treatment, and the samples in which either a chitosan solution or water was administered were considered as controls. To each hyacinth bulb, 2 ml of a certain solution was applied. Thus, the aim was to improve the sprouting of hyacinth bulbs and of biometric indicators such as hyacinth height, number of leaves and percentage of flowering. It has been observed that the nanoparticle treatments act differently depending on the growing stage of the plant. From the analysis of the results we can state that the treatment with gold nanoparticles in a concentration of 50 μg/mL is good for stimulating the plant growth, but it is not effective in their development, the most suitable solution as a treatment being that of gold nanoparticles in a concentration of 25 μg/mL.