NANOPARTICLE INTERVENTION

Ferruginous soils present challenges for plant growth due to their elevated iron levels, which can cause iron toxicity and negatively impact crop productivity. Copper nanoparticles demonstrate potential in mitigating iron toxicity in plants. This research studied maize plants polluted with different copper nanoparticle concentrations in ferruginous soils with elevated iron. The aim was to ascertain maize tolerance to various iron stress levels and its resultant yield. The results indicated improved maize growth with copper nanoparticles, significantly at 35% and 100% concentration in the early and late development phases. This infers a dose- dependent relationship between nanoparticle concentration and maize growth, with higher concentrations conveying increased maize sensitivity to excessive iron levels. The dynamic response of maize to nanoparticles over time emphasizes the need for exposure duration. In week 2, plants polluted with a 35% Cu nanoparticle concentration in soils alleviated at 4 ESV portrayed smaller leaf areas in contrast to those in 2.5 ESV soils. This infers that higher contamination may hamper the nanoparticles' positive leaf area effects. The complex impact of copper nanoparticles on maize morphology was influenced by a combination of factors including concentration, soil contamination, and specific parameters. Plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, and sheath length were modified by treatment, while blocks substantially affected plant height, leaf length, and sheath length. Copper nanoparticles demonstrate the potential to improve maize resilience in ferruginous soils, presenting a viable sustainable agriculture solutions in iron-rich environments.