Chitosan nanoparticles as a rice growth promoter: evaluation of biological activity

The agriculture sector is the building block of an economy with more than 60% of the world population depending on it for livelihood. Among the many crops, rice is the most important income source. It is the staple food for more than half of the world population. In spite of its huge demand, rice production has been dwindling due to various constraints. Chitosan nanoparticles (ChNP) are an excellent choice for agricultural applications owing to its non-toxic, biodegradable nature. Chitosan is an interesting polymer and is then partially or fully deacetylated chitin. In the present study, the effectiveness of ChNP as a growth promoter in improving the yield and biological activity of rice has been analyzed. 1 mg/ml of ChNP was applied as a seed, soil, foliar and combination treatments and the growth and yield parameters were measured to understand the best mode of application. The combination treatment of seed, soil and the foliar application was found to be most efficient. The cellular uptake of ChNP was also studied to deduce the mechanism of action. The soil toxicity of ChNP was studied prior to application and was found to be non-toxic.