Effects of Prolonged Graphene Oxide Treatment on Biomass Production and Grain Yield in Hydroponically Grown Rice

Abstract

The application of the nanomaterial “graphene oxide (GO)” in agriculture holds promise for enhancing crop production, potentially addressing global food scarcity. However, experimental findings on GO’s impact on plants have been inconsistent, and our understanding of its long-term effects, impact on yield, and general efficacy remains limited. To address these gaps, we administered GO to rice plants over a period exceeding 80 days and assessed its influence on the final biomass production and grain yield through a two-year experiment. Our results clearly showed that while the positive effects of short-term GO treatments were not detected, the long-term treatment of 20 mg/L GO increased both the final biomass production and grain yield. As no significant interactions between treatment and the year were detected, these outcomes are likely representative of the general effects on rice. Moreover, GO-treated plants exhibited GO coverage on root surfaces, and the presence of certain fertilizer components on the roots significantly increased with the addition of 20 mg/L GO. Therefore, our study suggests that the addition of 20 mg/L GO during the term from transplanting to harvesting promotes the accumulation of fertilizer components around the root, thereby enhancing the final biomass production and grain yield of rice.