Foliar Applied Silver Nanoparticles as Potential Mediators of Drought Tolerance in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

Wheat is a staple food that requires improvements in food production, achievable through modern technologies, including nanotechnology in agriculture. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been shown to enhance crop growth and yield. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AgNPs on the drought tolerance of Wheat. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications, using clay pots under controlled conditions. The Punjab-2011 Wheat cultivar was utilized, with AgNPs applied at various concentrations: T0 (control), T5, T10, T15, T20, and T25 ppm. AgNPs were synthesized via the chemical reduction method, and their size was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at the University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The Wheat plants were treated at flag leaves stage. Results indicated significant improvements (p ≤ 0.05) in chlorophyll content, relative water content, chlorophyll stability index, membrane stability index, leaf area, number of spikelets per spike, 100-grains weight, and grain yield per plant in AgNP-treated plants under water stress compared to the untreated control. These findings suggest that AgNPs can enhance the growth and yield of Wheat in drought-stressed environment.