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Short- and Long-Term Effects of Ca(OH)2/ZnO Heteronanostructure on Photosystem II Function and ROS Generation in
Panagiota Tryfon1, Julietta Moustaka2, Ilektra Sperdouli3
1Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 13, 2025
Summary
A novel CaZnO hetero-nanostructure, formed from ZnO and Ca(OH)2 nanoparticles, enhances tomato plant photosystem II function. This discovery suggests its potential as a photosynthetic biostimulant to improve crop yield.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Plant Physiology
Background:
- Inorganic/inorganic assemblies offer unique properties and activity.
- Surfactant-coated nanoparticles (NPs) can self-assemble into functional systems.
- Understanding nanoparticle interactions with plant physiology is crucial for agricultural applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel dual-phase semiconductor hetero-nanostructure (CaZnO) from preformed ZnO and Ca(OH)2 NPs.
- To evaluate the impact of the CaZnO hetero-nanostructure on the photosynthetic function of tomato plants.
- To assess the potential of CaZnO as a photosynthetic biostimulant.
Main Methods:
- Post-synthetic assembly of oleylamine-coated ZnO and Ca(OH)2 NPs via Van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding.
- Physicochemical characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS).
- Evaluation of the impact on photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry in tomato plants under varying light intensities and exposure durations.
Main Results:
- Successful formation of a dual-phase CaZnO hetero-nanostructure confirmed by XRD and FESEM-EDS.
- CaZnO NPs exhibited Ca(OH)2 decorated with irregular-shaped ZnO.
- A significant enhancement of photosystem II (PSII) function in tomato plants was observed after 90 min exposure to 15 mg L-1 CaZnO.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized CaZnO hetero-nanostructure demonstrates potential as a photosynthetic biostimulant.
- CaZnO can improve photosynthetic efficiency and potentially increase crop yield.
- Further research is needed to validate these findings across different plant species and conditions.
Keywords:
biostimulantschlorophyll fluorescence imagingeffective quantum yield of PSIIexcess excitation energyhetero-nanostructurehydrogen peroxideinorganic nanoparticlesnon-photochemical quenchingpost-synthesisMore Related Videos
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