Effect of Chitosan Loaded NPK Nanoparticles and Conventional Fertilizers on Wheat Plant Growth Perameters and Production

This work was held to study the effect of chitosan nanoparticles and loaded N, P and K chitosan nanoparticles on wheat growth and productivity. A field study was conducted during the winter season 2021/2022 cultivated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on sandy soil at the experimental unit of the Faculty of Agriculture farm- Suez Canal University- Ismailia- Egypt. The presented results indicated that the application of chitosan nanoparticles resulted in a reduction of the life span of wheat plants by around 25%. This effect could be related to the capacity of nanochitosan to improve cellular division through the modulation of genes responsible for auxin production. These results may be indicated that the application of foliar chitosan NPs. - loaded nitrogen in different concentrations and chitosan loaded NPK nanoparticles has been employed to enhance plant growth and productivity. In general, the following sequence was observed of treatments (nano-chitosan NPK fertilizers˃ conventional NPK fertilizer ˃ nanochitosan ˃ control (except for the root length).