Table 1 Successful use of nanoformulation used in crop plant as plant growth promoters

SiO₂ NPs

Seed treatment

L. esculentum Mill

12 nm

Enhance seed germination

No visible effect on enzyme activity

–

[71, 72]

Nano-chitosan

Seed treatment

C. arietinum L

pH 4.8

Promote total biomass, germination, and vigor index up to (57%)

Increase activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase

–

[83, 170]

Chitosan-polymethacrylic acid-NPK NP

Foliar spray

P. vulgaris L

20 nm

Enhance plant growth and total biomass

Enhance the antioxidant enzyme activities

Promote nutrient uptake and accumulation

[73, 74]

Au NPs

Seed imbibition

Z. mays L

10–30 nm, spherical

Promote germination and seedling growth

Promote activity of Superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase

Increased nutrient uptake of maize excluding iron

[75, 76]

SiO₂NPs

Seed imbibition

H. officinalis L

10–20 nm, spherical

Improve plant growth and seed germination

Enhance total soluble proteins

–

[77, 78]

SiO₂ NPs

Seed Imbibition

Z. mays L

10–20 nm, spherical

Promotes seed germination

Enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes

Increase uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium

[77, 79]

Chitosan-Cu NPs

Seed treatment

Z. mays L

Low molecular weight, 80%

Promote seedling growth

Enhance activity of α-amylase and protease

–

[2, 80]

Chitosan-Cu NPs

Foliar spray

Z. mays L

50–190 kDa, 80%

Promote seedling growth, overall plant height, and biomass

Enhance activities of defense enzymes

–

[2, 81]

Chitosan-Zn NPs

Foliar spray

T. durum L

60 kDa, 85%

Stomatal localization of nanoparticles

Promote defense enzyme activities

Enhance zinc content accumulation by 42%

[82, 83]

Nano-chitosan

Seed treatment

Z. mays L

pH 7.0–9.0

Enhance plant height, leaf area, and seed germination

Promote activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, and superoxide dismutase

Enhance accumulate of potassium inside the plant

[102, 171]

Chitosan-γ-polyglutamic acid-gibberellic

Acid-NPs

Seed treatment

P. vulgaris L

290 kDa, 75%–85%, pH 4.5

Promote seed germination, root development, and total leaf area

Enhance the hormonal efficiency, enhance extracellular enzymes, such as cutinase, lipase, and esterase

Increase efficiency of nutrients

[83, 84]

Chitosan-gibberellic acid NPs

Seed treatment

P. vulgaris L

27 kDa, 75%–85%, pH 4.5

Promote leaf area, carotenoid and chlorophyll content

Enhance the hormonal efficiency by 90%

Not significant effect on nutrient uptake

[172, 173]

Nano-chitosan

Seed treatment

P. vulgaris L

100–399 kDa

Increase seed germination and radical length

Enhance the activity of peroxidase and catalase

Increase Zinc uptake in plant

[174, 175]

Nano-chitosan

Seed treatment

Capsicum annuum L

110 kDa, 85–90%, pH 4.0

Enhance the root biomass (77%) and fresh leaf biomass (28%)

Increase the activity of catalase and peroxidase 33% and 23% respectively

Not much significant effect on nutrient uptake

[176, 177]

Chitosan-polymethacrylic acid-NPK NP

Seed treatment

Pisum sativum var. Master B

20 nm

Enhance mitotic cell division about 1.5 fold

Enhance total soluble proteins like legumin, convicilin and β, vicilin 1, 2 and 3

Enhances the efficiency of plants for the uptake of nutrients

[74, 85]

ZnO NPs

Seed soaked

Avena sativa L

20–50 nm, spherical shape

Promote percent germination

–

Modulate uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus in plants

[178, 179]

ZnO NPs

Seed imbibition

T. aestivum L

30–40 nm, sphere-crystal

Improve shoot length and total plant biomass

Enhance the activity of superoxide dismutase (22.8%) and catalase (60.7%)

Enhance nutrient acquisition in wheat

[86, 87]

Chitosan-thiamine NP

Seed treatment

C. arietinum L

27 kDa, 85%

Promote seed germination and plant growth

Enhance activities of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, chitinase, and protease enzyme

Enhance nutrient uptake

[83, 180]

CeO₂ NPs

50 Mg-Ce per L hydroponic

Z. mays L

2–4 nm, crystal

Promote photosynthesis and gas exchange

Accumulation of hydrogen peroxidase enzyme

Increase nutrient uptake of maize

[91, 181]

CeO₂ NPs

Foliar spray

S. oleracea L

4–7 nm

Enhance percent germination (4%) and vigor index

Catalase activity significantly increased

Enhance nutrient uptake

[89, 182]

Nano-chitosan

Foliar spray

Coffea canephora Piere var Robusta

600 kDa, 85%, pH 6.0

Increase (30–50%) chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate (30%)

Enhance the enzymatic activities

Enhance nutrient uptake (Nitrogen 10–27%, Phosphorus 17–30% and Potassium 30–45%)

[83]

Chitosan-polymethacrylic acid-NPK NP

Foliar spray

T. aestivum L

20 nm

Increase crop yield (50%) and harvest index (24%)

Increase polysaccharides and total saccharides (11%), nitrate reductase enzyme

Accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in plant

[83]

AuNPs

Spray on leaves

B. juncea L. Czern

10–20 nm, spherical

Enhance chlorophyll content and plant growth

Enhance antioxidative enzymes, proline and hydrogen peroxide

–

[92]

Carbon (CNTs)

Seeds in culture media

L. esculentum Mill

Nanotubes

Enhance seed germination and vigor index

Increase activities of peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase

Percentage concentration of nutrient elements present in germinated tomato increased

[182]

TiO₂ NPs

Seeds soaked

S. oleracea L

30–60 nm, crystal shape

Enhance seedling growth, biomass, and chlorophyll content

Promote activities of antioxidant enzymes (0.25%)

Enhance nutrient uptake

[88]

TiO₂ NPs

Spray on leaves

C.arietinum L

5–20 nm

Reduce membrane damage during cold stress

Increase activity of Rubisco enzyme

Increase the mineral uptake in plant

[183]