The effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in condition salinity stress on germination behavior and safflower seedling growth (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

The effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in condition salinity stress on germination behavior and safflower seedling growth (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

In order to investigate the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles under salinity stress conditions on germination behavior and safflower seedling growth of Faraman cultivar, an experiment was conducted in the laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Guilan in 2015. Experimental treatments included zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and salinity stress. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles consisted of 5 concentration levels (zero, 20, 40, 60, 80 mg / l) and salinity levels (no salinity, 6.85, 13.71, 20.5, 27.4 dS / m). This design was done factorially in a completely randomized format with three replications. The analysis of variance showed that zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in salinity stress conditions had a significant effect (one percent probability level) on most of the evaluated traits. The effect of the treatments was that zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles had a significant effect on germination rate, root and shoot length, shoot and root wet weight, and root dry weight under salinity stress conditions. The highest mean germination rate was 20 mg ZnO under salinity stress conditions. The highest mean shoot length, root length, shoot weight, and root weight was 80 mg ZnO in conditions without salinity stress.