AUTHOR=Rui Mengmeng , Ma Chuanxin , Hao Yi , Guo Jing , Rui Yukui , Tang Xinlian , Zhao Qi , Fan Xing , Zhang Zetian , Hou Tianqi , Zhu Siyuan 

TITLE=Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Potential Iron Fertilizer for Peanut (Arachis hypogaea)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2016.00815

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2016.00815

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Nanomaterials are used in practically every aspect of modern life, including agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs) as a fertilizer to replace traditional Fe fertilizers, which have various shortcomings. The effects of the Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs and a chelated-Fe fertilizer (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-Fe; EDTA-Fe) fertilizer on the growth and development of peanut (<italic>Arachis hypogaea</italic>), a crop that is very sensitive to Fe deficiency, were studied in a pot experiment. The results showed that Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs increased root length, plant height, biomass, and SPAD values of peanut plants. The Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs promoted the growth of peanut by regulating phytohormone contents and antioxidant enzyme activity. The Fe contents in peanut plants with Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs and EDTA-Fe treatments were higher than the control group. We used energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to quantitatively analyze Fe in the soil. Peanut is usually cultivated in sandy soil, which is readily leached of fertilizers. However, the Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs adsorbed onto sandy soil and improved the availability of Fe to the plants. Together, these results show that Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs can replace traditional Fe fertilizers in the cultivation of peanut plants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research on the Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> NPs as the iron fertilizer.</p>