Insect-Spinach Waste Synergy: Enhancing Cyamopsis tetragonoloba under Copper Stress

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Heavy metal stress, particularly from copper oxide (CuO), significantly impacts crop quality and yield.
• Developing sustainable strategies to enhance plant resistance against heavy metal toxicity is crucial for food security.
• Iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) offer potential for agricultural applications due to their unique properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel Fe3O4 NPs coated with hyperbranched spermine derivatives and functionalized with glucose or folic acid.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these nanoparticles in improving the stress resistance and quality of Guar beans under CuO stress.
• To assess the biocompatibility and safety of the synthesized NPs for agricultural and potential biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Green synthesis of Fe3O4 NPs using rosemary extract, followed by coating with hyperbranched spermine derivatives and functionalization (glucose, folic acid, PEG).
• Characterization using NMR, FTIR, TEM, SEM, DLS, and VSM; DNA protection assay via electrophoresis.
• Greenhouse experiments on Guar beans under CuO stress, cell suspension cultures, MTT assays on MCF-7 cells, and antibacterial tests.

Main Results:

• FSMPG- and FHSPF-coated NPs significantly enhanced seedling growth, antioxidant activity, and nutrient uptake (Fe, N) in Guar beans under CuO stress.
• Cytotoxicity assays showed high cell viability (>80% in Guar cells, >85% in MCF-7 cells) for FHSPF2 and FHSPG1 NPs at high concentrations.
• Minimal antibacterial activity was observed, and callus morphology was preserved, indicating good biocompatibility and safety.

Conclusions:

• Green-synthesized Fe3O4 NPs functionalized with spermine derivatives, glucose, and folic acid are effective in mitigating CuO stress in Guar beans.
• FHSPF2 and FHSPG1 NPs demonstrate excellent biocompatibility and safety, making them promising candidates for agricultural biotechnology.
• These findings support the development of sustainable nanomaterials for enhancing crop resilience and exploring biomedical applications.