ZnO Nanoparticles Seed Invigouration for the Maintenance of Seed Vigour and Viability in Black Gram

Background: Nanoparticles are randomly entering into the seed may quench the reactive oxygen species and lessen the oxidative damages thereby eventually promoted viability and vigour of aged seeds. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles to quench the free radicals that appear during seed deterioration and to increase the seed viability are being kept as the primary aim of this study. Methods: Zinc oxide (ZnO) was synthesized and characterized with TEM, SEM, Particle Size Analyzer and Raman Spectroscope. Physiological and biochemical seed quality parameters were also observed in ZnO nano-particles treated black gram seeds. Result: Black gram seeds were invigorated with ZnO nano-particles at 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 and 1400 mg kg-1 as dry seed treatment and 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 mg kg-1 as wet seed treatment. Dry seed treatment with nanoparticles did not give significant variation in seed germination and seedling vigour in fresh seeds. However, after accelerated ageing, nanoparticles treated seeds had recorded significantly higher values as compared to control with respect to physiological seed quality characteristics. In wet seed treatment also, nanoparticles did not give significant variation for the physiological characteristics. But after accelerated ageing, seeds treated with nanoparticles recorded higher values for seed germination, seedling length and vigour index. The improvement recorded was 26, 28, 35 and 319 per cent higher than control with ZnO @ 200 mg kg-1. The positive impact of nanoparticles seed treatment was also observed for the changes in biochemical characters viz., electrical conductivity, free amino acid, dehydrogenase activity and lipid peroxidation. The data suggests that seeds treated with ZnO nano-particles @1000 mg kg-1 under dry treatment and 200-300 mg kg-1 under wet showed a significant increase in seed viability, seedling length and vigour besides maintenance of biochemical constituents after ageing.