JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

Zinc is essential micronutrients for plants. This element improves plant growth and yield and plays a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Zinc deficiency in soils and Iranian crops is possible due to numerous reasons such as calcareous soils, excessive use of phosphorus fertilizers and unbalanced fertilizer use. The effect of zinc solubilizing bacteria on some wheat properties was considered as a factorial experiment in greenhouse conditions based on a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of four levels of bacteria comprising B₁ (control), B₂ (Bacillus megaterium), B₃ (Enterobacter cloacae) and B₄ (consortium of both bacterium), and ZnSO₄ fertilizer at three levels including Zn₀ (control), Zn₂₀ (20 Kg/ha) and Zn₄₀ (40 kg/ha). During the experiment, some parameters such as plant height and chlorophyll index were measured. At the end of the cultivation period, soil available zinc, dry weight of root and aerial part, and the zinc concentration of the root, shoot and grain were determined. Grain yield and zinc uptake in the grain were also calculated. The results indicated soil exchangeable zinc content was increased significantly (P<0.05) in all bacterial treatments, as compared to the control treatment. The maximum amount of soil exchangeable zinc, grain yield, zinc concentration and uptake in grain were observed in the treatment containing bacteria consortium with the application of 40 kg/ha of zinc sulfate fertilizer, which was followed by the treatment containing Enterobacter cloacae with the application of 40 kg/ha of the zinc sulfate fertilizer. The maximum amount of all measured properties in the treatment containing Enterobacter cloacae and Bacillus megaterium indicated the possibility of applying those bacteria for zinc enrichment in wheat, crop optimal production, and the sustainable agriculture.

Nowadays, one of the ways to confront with the micronutrients deficiency is application of Nano materials to increase the availability of elements such as zinc for plants.  Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles and zinc sulfate chemical fertilizer on the zinc chemical forms in soil solution phase and its correlation with zinc concentrations and uptake in wheat. This study was carried out in a completely randomized design with three replications. Treatment consisted of functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles of Hydroxyl (OH), Carboxyl (COOH) and Amine (NH₂), each at three levels (100, 200 and 300 mg.kg^-1), ZnSO₄ (40 kg.ha^-1) and Control (without using iron oxide nanoparticles). At the end of the cultivation period, soil chemical properties such as pH, soil available zinc and dissolved organic carbon and concentrations and the uptake of zinc in plant were measured. The results showed that pH, available zinc and dissolved organic carbon content of soil solution were significantly affected by the treatments. The results obtained from the Visual MINTEQ Geochemical model showed that the highest amount of the free form of zinc (Zn²⁺) was obtained at the level of 300 mg.kg-1 of carboxyl iron oxide nanoparticles. Also, the experimental treatments significantly influenced the concentration of Zn-DOM species. The positive and significant correlation between Zn⁺² and Zn- DOC species with the concentration and total Zn uptake of wheat indicated that these pools of Zn could be liable species in soil. The results of this study, therefore, showed that the application of functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles could help to improve soil conditions in order to increase the zinc availability for plants.