Journal of Agronomy and Field Innovations

Background: Iron is one of the most important components of chlorophyll biosynthesis, electron transport mechanism, and enzyme activity in plants, however, the availability of iron in alkaline soils is limited, making iron deficiency a serious concern in groundnut cultivation. Conventional iron sources do not solve the issue of chlorosis due to their low solubility, high oxidation rate, and low penetration on the leaf surface.
Objective: The objective of the current study is to analyze the potential of nano-Fe₂O₃ for chlorophyll production and photosynthetic processes.
Methods: A field trial was organized in randomized complete block fashion with 7 treatments – control, recommended dosage of FeSOâ‚„, 4 concentrations of nano-Feâ‚‚O₃ (25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm), and combined nano-Feâ‚‚O₃ dosage replicated thrice. Chlorophyll content, SPAD readings, gas-exchange parameters, growth parameters, leaf/seed iron content, and yield parameters were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test (P < 0.05).
Results: Nano-Fe₂O₃ at the concentration of 75 ppm had the maximum values of total chlorophyll content, SPAD value, net photosynthetic rate, iron concentration in the leaves and seeds, and seed yield, which was considerably larger than the values for the control and classical FeSO₄ treatments, while the combined method proved to have comparable or at least marginally higher performance.
Conclusion: Using nano-iron oxide as a foliar treatment means utilizing iron more efficiently and achieving greater photosynthetic activity than with conventional fertilizers, which will ultimately involve getting higher yields and making this treatment a valuable addition in the sustainable management of trace micronutrients for groundnut growing.