The Effect of Phosphorus and Sulfur Nanofertilizers on the Growth and Nutrition of Ocimum basilicum in Response to Salt Stress

Abstract

Eutrophication is one of the most serious ecological threats to aquatic environments. It is defined as the enrichment of water bodies by organic matter or surface runoff containing nitrate and phosphate that directly control the growth of algae and other water plants. The use of nanofertilizers increases nutrient use efficiency and consequently reduces soil toxicity and minimizes the adverse effects of the over application of chemical fertilizers. This study was conducted in factorial form of a completely randomized design with four replications to evaluate the effect of phosphorus nanoparticles on the growth and nutrition of basil under salt stress. The first factor was three levels of salt stress, namely, 1, 3, and 6 dS m−1. The second factor was three levels of phosphorus fertilizer, namely, without phosphorus fertilizer (P1), ammonium phosphate (P2), and phosphorus nanoparticles (P3). Powdered elemental sulfur with a particle diameter of <0.6 mm at two rates, namely, 0% (S0) and 20% (S2), was utilized in the experiment. Physiological traits (i.e., chlorophyll content, P uptake, and proline content of leaves) were investigated in this study. Plant growth and P uptake decreased with the increase in salinity (P < 0.05). The application of phosphorus nanoparticles significantly increased P uptake in response to salt stress. Phosphorus nanoparticles significantly increased photosynthetic activity and plant weight in response to salt stress. Leaf proline content increased significantly in response to salt stress.