Investigating the Impact of Nano-Calcium Loaded Zeolite on the germination and growth of corn (Zea mays L.)
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1
College of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Department of Mining Engineering, University of Mosul, Mosul, 41002 Iraq
2
Environmental Researches Center, University of Mosul, Iraq
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Corresponding author
Liqaa Majdal
College of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Department of Mining Engineering, University of Mosul, Mosul, 41002 Iraq
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ABSTRACT
This research examines the impacts of nano-calcium and zeolite treatments on germination and growth development in Zea mays. There were three experimental setups used, including germination in petri dishes, soil-based growth in germination trays, and combined application of nano-calcium as a load in zeolite within the soil. The first experiment reported a sharp decline in germination rate with increasing nano-calcium concentration, with the maximum germination rate reported at 0.5% concentration of nano-calcium (96%). There was also a sharp decrease in root length at increased nano-calcium concentrations. However, there were no effects on other growth parameters. The second experiment reported the positive role played by zeolite application, with a 2% concentration of zeolite significantly enhancing shoot growth compared to the control. There were no effects on other growth parameters. The third experiment illustrated that combined nano-calcium and zeolite application exerted significant effects on germination rates and biomass in plants with improved fresh and dry weight at moderate concentration levels of zeolite and nano-calcium. These results indicate that moderate levels of nano-calcium and zeolite have the potential to enhance plant growth by improving water retention and nutrient availability without causing toxicity.