Chitosan Nanoparticles Modulate Growth Promotion and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 15, No 2 (June 2026) pp. 217-235
Abstract
Green nanotechnology provides innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture by creating eco-friendly nanomaterials with biostimulatory properties. In the current research, chitosan nanoparticles (ChNPs) were synthesised from crustacean shrimp shells through an ionic gelation process and further their characterization was examined. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed ChNPs were spherical in shape and size ranges from 16 to 24 nm. UV–visible spectroscopic analysis revealed the characteristic absorption behaviour of NPs which confirms the ChNPs synthesis and further X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirmed semi-crystalline nature of the synthesized ChNPs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the involvement of functional groups in ChNPs synthesis. The rice seedlings and pot-grown rice plants exposed to different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60%) of ChNPs indicated significant increases in protein, proline, chlorophyll and carotenoids contents suggesting modulations in physiological and biochemical traits. The ChNPs concentration dependent increased in antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase were recorded in seedlings and plants treated with ChNPs. Moreover, the DPPH radical scavenging assay (77.9±3.1 % inhibition) confirmed the ChNPs improves antioxidant potential. These findings demonstrate that, ChNPs improves morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits and antioxidant defense systems in Oryza sativa. Therefore, ChNPs are shown to have promise as environmentally sound nanobiostimulants that can help to achieve sustainable crop production while also representing a new way of enhancing plant resilience and productivity.
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