Nanoparticles in sunscreen shown to shield rice from scorching heat; increase yield
Heat waves pose a serious threat to rice production, causing significant yield losses and even complete crop failure.
Rice, a staple food for billions, faces a growing threat: climate change. Rising temperatures and increasingly frequent heat waves are taking a toll on rice yields worldwide.
Researchers have been exploring ways to make rice plants more resilient to extreme conditions.
A team of horticulturists from Nankai University in China has discovered a surprising solution: zinc oxide nanoparticles. They say that spraying a zinc oxide nanoparticle solution on rice plants enhances their ability to tolerate heat stress.
Zinc oxide nanoparticles
Heat waves pose a serious threat to rice production, causing significant yield losses and even complete crop failure.
To mitigate the devastating impact of climate change-induced heat waves, scientists are racing to develop strategies to safeguard plant life.
Recent research has indicated that foliar application of zinc nanoparticles is a more efficient method of delivering zinc to plants, as the particles can penetrate leaf pores. Zinc nanoparticles are a common sunscreen ingredient.
Driven by curiosity, the team explored the potential of zinc oxide to safeguard rice yields in the face of extreme heat.
As per Phys.org, in this new study, the researchers created a customized greenhouse.
22.1% yield increase
Upon harvest, the research team observed a 22.1% increase in yield from the rice plants treated with zinc oxide nanoparticles compared to the control group grown with just water.
Upon closer examination, it was found that the rice grains from the zinc oxide-treated plants exhibited higher nutrient content.
“This study revealed that foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs; 30 to 80 nm, 0.67 mg/d per plant, 6 d) to rice leaves under heatwave (HW) stress increased the grain yield and nutritional quality,” the study noted.