Foliar Nanoparticulate Sulphur and Amino Acids Modulate Wheat Yield Components and Seed Quality Across Contrasting...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Nutrition
• Agronomy

Background:

• Wheat production faces challenges from nutrient deficiencies and environmental stressors.
• Biostimulants and nanofertilisers offer potential solutions for improving crop performance.
• Nanoparticulate sulphur (SNP) and amino acids (AAs) are key inputs for plant growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of foliar SNP and AA applications on wheat yield and seed quality.
• To evaluate these effects across diverse environmental conditions in Paraná, Brazil.
• To identify optimal application rates for SNP and AAs.

Main Methods:

• A randomized block design with a 5x2 factorial scheme was employed across four environments.
• Foliar applications of SNP and AAs were applied during the 2022 and 2023 growing seasons.
• Evaluated parameters included grain yield, yield components, and seed physiological and nutritional traits.

Main Results:

• SNP application positively affected the number of grains per ear and spikes per meter, with optimal rates identified.
• Amino acids (AAs) did not show significant effects, attributed to favorable climate and soil conditions.
• Seed vigour showed a positive response to SNP in one environment, but other seed quality traits were inconsistently affected.

Conclusions:

• Foliar SNP demonstrated potential for improving specific yield components in wheat.
• AA applications were not beneficial under the non-stressful conditions of this study.
• Environmental factors and soil fertility were primary drivers of wheat yield and seed quality variation.