Abstract
Owing to the uniqueness of quantum dots (QDs) as a potential nanomaterial for agricultural application, hence in the present study, titanium dioxide quantum dots (TiO(2) QDs) were successfully synthesized via sol-gel technique and the physico-chemical properties of the prepared TiO(2) QDs were analyzed. Based on the results, the TiO(2) QDs showed the presence of anatase phase of TiO(2). TEM examination revealed spherical QDs morphology with an average size of 7.69 ± 1.22 nm. The large zeta potential value (-20.9 ± 2.3 mV) indicate greater stability of the prepared TiO(2) QDs in aqueous solutions. Moreover, in this work, the application of TiO(2) QDs on Hibiscus sabdariffa plants was conducted, where H. sabdariffa plants were foliar sprayed twice a week in the early morning with different concentrations of TiO(2) QDs (0, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30 ppm) to evaluate their influence on these plants in terms of morphological indexes and biochemical parameters. The results exhibited an increasing impact of the different used concentrations of TiO(2) QDs on morphological indexes, such as fresh weight, dry weight, shoot length, root length, and leaf number, and physio-biochemical parameters like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid contents, total pigments and total phenolic contents. Remarkably, the most prominent result was recorded at 15 ppm TiO(2) QDs where plant height, total protein and enzymatic antioxidants like catalase and peroxidase were noted to increase by 47.6, 20.5, 29.5 and 38.3%, respectively compared to control. Therefore, foliar spraying with TiO(2) QDs positively serves as an effective strategy for inducing optimistic effects in H. sabdariffa plants.