Sustainable yield enhancement in Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. through seed priming: Bulk silicon vs. silicon nanoparticles

Abstract

Silicon nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) have emerged as a promising nanotechnology-based approach for enhancing crop productivity; however, their comparative effectiveness over conventional bulk silicon in cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) remains insufficiently explored. This study evaluated the effects of seed priming with SiO₂ nanoparticles and bulk silicon on the agronomic performance of two cluster bean varieties (RGC-986 and RGC-1066) under summer and kharif conditions. Seeds were primed with deionized water (control), bulk silicon, or SiO₂ nanoparticles at five concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg mL⁻¹). Field experiments were conducted using a factorial randomized block design with three replications. Three-way analysis of variance revealed significant effects of season, variety, treatment, and their interactions on most of the 15 agronomic traits evaluated. Compared with bulk silicon and the control, SiO₂ nanoparticle seed priming markedly enhanced crop growth and productivity. The highest germination (94.67%), plant height (132.67 cm), and number of branches (10.67 plant⁻¹) were recorded under SiO₂ NP treatment. The 200 μg mL⁻¹ SiO₂ NP treatment in RGC-986 produced the highest grain yield (1875 kg ha⁻¹), representing a 258% increase over the control, whereas the 400 μg mL⁻¹ treatment in RGC-1066 resulted in the highest fodder yield (2276.33 kg ha⁻¹), approximately 110% greater than the control. Correlation and path coefficient analyses identified germination percentage and number of clusters per plant as the major contributors to grain yield. Overall, SiO₂ nanoparticle seed priming proved more effective than bulk silicon, highlighting its potential as a sustainable strategy for improving cluster bean productivity across diverse genotypes and growing seasons.