Integrative Effects of Zinc Nanoparticle and PGRs to Mitigate Salt Stress in Maize

Salinity is one of the most critical problems for agricultural development and threatens future food safety. Therefore, we aimed to investigate root application zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs; 0, 50, 100 mg/L), 24-epibrassinolide (EBL; 0.02, 0.04 µM), their combinations on growth performance maize (Zea mays L.) as a model plant grown under salt stress (i.e., 5 10 dS m−1) in hydroponic system. The results showed that highest negatively affected growth, physiological, biochemical traits maize. However, EBL, ZnO-NPs, significantly mitigated improved physiological system plants. In particular, combination treatment mg/L ZnO-NPs + 0.02 µM EBL surpassed all other treatments resulted shoot leaf area, relative water content, net photosynthesis, total chlorophyll uptake (Zn) potassium (K). Furthermore, it minimized by reducing Na uptake, Na/K ratio, proline stressed For example, length +175%, +39%, area +181%, RWC +12%, photosynthesis +275, content +33%, phenolic +38%, comparison those obtained from control, respectively. enhanced roots leaves Zn high +125% +94%, K+ +39% +51%, compared without any NPs or treatments, Thus, can be potential option mitigate improve biochemical, strategy crops such