Effects of silver nanoparticles on seed germination and growth performance of pea (Pisum sativum)

Agricultural biotechnology has become familiar with nanomaterials' properties and potential use. The present experiment was conducted to examine the effect of 8.1 ± 1.6 nm sized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the growth performance and yield quality of pea (Pisum sativum) as well as Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Rhizobium population in the soil. Pea seeds were separately treated in 3 h with 1 mM, 2.5 mM, and 5 mM of AgNPs aqueous solution, and after 2 weeks their effect on seed germination, leaf number, shoot, and root length, shoot and root dry weight, fresh biomass, and dry biomass weight were investigated in laboratory condition using Murashige and Skoog (MS) Basal Medium. Results showed that 2.5 mM AgNPs had a significant positive impact and notably increased all the experimental growth parameters mentioned above of pea compared with the control. The experiment was also conducted in an open environment under a natural condition where 2.5 mM AgNPs improved 31.57 % weight of fruit and 9.09 % of seed weight without causing any harm to the symbiotic microbes (AMF and Rhizobium bacteria). Whereas, the other concentrations of nanoparticles (1.0 mM and 5.0 mM) showed varied impacts on the germination, growth, and yield of pea in comparison with the control. For the first time, the outcome demonstrated the successful use of 2.5 mM AgNPs in enhancing the growth and yield of peas, and increased AMF colonization but showed no impact on Rhizobium compared to the control.