COMPARATIVE ROLE AND EFFICIENCY OF NPK ADSORBED POLYMERIC AND METALLIC NANOFERTILIZER ON THE GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS OF EPIPREMNUM AUREUM

Abstract

The unabashed use of synthetic chemical (NPK or nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) fertilizers worldwide is slowly but surely leading to an environmental disaster and seriously jeopardizing human health with many a cancer attributed to the bio-accumulated toxic effect of such chemical fertilizers in our body. Biological applications of nanotechnology is referred to as nanobiotechnology. It may be impossible to completely do away with NPK fertilizer application but nanoparticulate form of NPK fertilizers may be a positive solution to nullify their adverse effects. In the present study, E. aureum were grown in bottles with regular tap-water without using any special hydroponic media. Predetermined doses of NPK adsorbed nanoparticles were added to the water media. Plant growth parameters like length of shoots and roots, moisture content, chlorophyll content, yellowing of leaves etc. were noted. The test Epipremnum aureum plants had significantly higher shoot and root growth at a 1/10th concentration of NPK adsorbed nanoparticles which was significantly higher (p is less than 0.05) than that of NPK fertilizers applied directly at 10 times higher dose. The study thus shows that application of NPK fertilizers in nanoparticulate form reduces the required doses, nutrient losses, results in better growth characteristics and does not cause ant untoward plant toxicities.