Effect of microcontainer enriched with zinc nanoparticle (ZnO-NPs) on the acclimatization and development of micropropagated seedlings of Paliavana sericiflora Benth

This study investigated the effect of incorporating zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) on the acclimatization and growth of micropropagated seedlings of Paliavana sericiflora Benth. The seedlings were grown in 4.5 cm³ microcontainer in polypropylene cups using a mini-incubator system. The experimental factor was the concentration of ZnO-NPs added to the polymer in the tubes (PLA), with the following levels: 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 1000 mg kg⁻¹. After the acclimatization period, the plants were transplanted into 250 cm³ tubes. The results indicated that the optimal concentration of ZnO-NPs was 100 mg kg⁻¹, which promoted greater plant vigour, higher dry matter accumulation, and superior development in terms of height, stem diameter, and leaf area, while also altering the nutritional composition by increasing the levels of N, P, Ca, Mg, and S. This concentration resulted in 100% seedling survival. In contrast, the concentration of 1000 mg kg⁻¹ of ZnO-NPs had a phytotoxic effect, highlighting the need for more in-depth studies into the relationship between the concentration of ZnO-NPs and the specific characteristics of each plant species. The high correlation between vegetative variables and the ideal concentration of ZnO-NPs suggests that incorporating ZnO-NPs into microcontainer could be a promising strategy for optimizing the acclimatization and growth of micropropagated seedlings of Paliavana sericiflora and other plant species.