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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/NMsB/19
Effect of green manure and zinc oxide nanoparticles on cadmium accumulation by
wheat plants

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Arooj Bashir , Muhammad Zia ur Rehman , Muhammad Adrees , Muhammad Farooq
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Qayyum , Muhammad Rizwan , Shafaqat Ali
1 Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University,
Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
2 Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
3 Department of Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin
Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
Correspondence: mrazi1532@yahoo.com

Abstract
In green manure, crops are used as soil amendments to improve soil properties and increase
crop productivity. Green manure in combination with nanoparticles further enhances the
positive effects of organic amendments. Green manure and nanoparticles reduce heavy metal
toxicity and mobility. This study investigated the combined effects of green manure and foliar
ZnO NPs on wheat cultivated in Cd-contaminated agricultural soil. Green manure of barseem
was applied in by 2% w/w in soil and four replicates were maintained. Zinc oxide nanoparticles
(2mg/L) were applied as foliar spray to wheat plants. Our studies revealed that green manure
enhanced plant biomass and increase grain yield. Applied treatments resulted in increase of
chlorophyll content and reduced Cd concentration in plants. Antioxidant enzymes in plants act
as defensive system by enhancing SOD and POD and decreased oxidative stress. The impacts
of green manure were further amplified by foliar application of ZnO NPs. Our study suggests
that future field researches must be conducted in order to know further strategies and impacts
of green manure and nanoparticles for reducing Cd contamination.

Keywords: green manure; nanoparticles; wheat; amendment; cadmium; toxicity

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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