Manganese (Mn) deficiency due to nutrient mining by high yielding cereal–cereal cropping patterns and forgetfulness of Mn fertilizer applications becomes potential challenge in crop production.
Nano-enabled Mn fertilizers can be safer and more nutrient efficient than conventional Mn fertilizers (nutrient use efficiency ≈ 1%–3%). However, studies about nano-Mn fertilizer synthesis and their behaviour in soil–plant system are rare.
In this study, two novel nano-Mn fertilizers, that is nano-MnO2 (NMO) and manganese nanoclay polymer composites (Mn-NCPC), were synthesized, characterized (dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopic and energy-dispersive X-ray, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy etc.) and investigated for their impact on growth, yield and nutrient acquisition by wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L., variety HD-2967) in a pot culture experiment. Treatment comprised 25%, 50% and 100% of recommended dose of Mn (RDMn) through NMO along with 100% RDMn through MnSO4·H2O (MS). Effect of exposure route was also investigated using foliar spray of NMO at tillering stage. Mn-NCPC was found to be most efficient Mn fertilizer in terms of yield, Mn uptake and use efficiency by wheat crop.
Nano-sized formulations improved the solubility of Mn in soil due to its higher active surface area (NMO) and slow-release behaviour (Mn-NCPC); thus, minimal losses happened due to the fixing of Mn in oxide/hydroxide forms. Application of 25% RDMn through NMO fertilizers maintained equitant diethylenetriamine pentaacetate Mn content to 100% RDMn through MnSO4·H2O. Mn-NCPC stimulated the soil enzymatic activities, namely dehydrogenase, acid–alkaline phosphatase activities. Mn-NCPC and NMO at 100% RDMn recorded 3.51% and 5.20% improvement in grain yield, respectively, when compared to MnSO4·H2O 100%.
Mn fertilizer doses can be reduced up to 25% of RDMn when applied through NMO or Mn-NCPC fertilizers. However, effects of Mn-NCPC and NMO need to be critically evaluated in long-term field experiments in various cropping systems especially under cereal–cereal sequences for economic profitability and wide-scale farmer's adaptability.