Accelerating wheat growth using phosphorus and calcium nano-fertilizers (P-NF and Ca-NF) in a speed breeding chamber compared to conventional Hoagland solution

Abstract

The current rate of improvement in several major crops is insufficient to meet future demand. This study explores the integration of speed breeding (SB) with phosphorus nano-fertilizer (P-NF) and calcium nano-fertilizer (Ca-NF) to accelerate wheat growth and enhance nutrient uptake. Two concentrations of P-NF and Ca-NF (50 ppm and 100 ppm) were tested in hydroponic and pot experiments, alongside the conventional Hoagland solution, in a SB chamber. The nano-fertilizers were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy (P-NF peaks at 239 nm, Ca-NF 239.2 and 261 nm), XRD (P-NF 46.06 nm and Ca-NF 25 nm), FTIR, EDS, and SEM, confirming their cubic (P-NF) and spherical (Ca-NF) structure. Results showed that P-NF and Ca-NF significantly improved plant height, grain yield, and biological yield by 5.53 %, 51 %, and 28.66 %, respectively. Days to tillering and maturity were reduced by 5.15 % and 7.08 % showing successful acceleration of the wheat growth cycle. P-NF and Ca-NF also increased antioxidant activity, with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) levels reduced by up to 58.29 % and 44 %, respectively, compared to the control. Nutritional analysis revealed higher protein (42.42 %), lipid (32.61 %), total sugar (30.42 %), and starch (30.19 %) content in grains. Phosphorus uptake increased by 182.44 % and calcium uptake by 222.03 % in pot-grown plants. This study successfully achieved its objective of reducing the wheat growth cycle but also significantly improved yield and nutrient content, offering a sustainable solution for faster and healthier wheat production.