Lignin nanoparticles (NPLs) encapsulating AIA: potential use and its influence on morphophysiology in crops of economic interest

• Grant number: 22/02559-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Lischka Sampaio Mayer
• Grantee: Rodrigo Faleiro de Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/21004-5 - Agriculture, micro/nanotechnology and environment: from evaluation of the mechanisms of action to studies of transport and toxicity, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/01855-4 - Investigating the role of exogenous IAA in meristematic activity and xylem tissue formation, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

With the growing population, agricultural production was boosted with the use of different cultivars, pesticides, and fertilizers. Technologies that fit the terms of green agriculture, such as nanotechnology, have been gaining attention and have scientific, social, and economic relevance. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in agriculture is mainly done by encapsulating molecules or chemical substances in different nanocarrier systems, avoiding their immediate degradation, reducing the phytotoxicity of pesticides, and increasing the productivity of different crops. However, so far, few studies have been carried out to understand the behavior of these systems in different cultures and the possible toxic effects of their application. Therefore, the use of non-toxic materials in the creation of new NPs is presented as a gap in the literature with several possibilities of uses. In this perspective, the present work aims to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of lignin nanoparticles (NPLs) encapsulating or not auxins, comparing different application methods in seed pretreatment, micropropagation, and foliar spraying, on vegetative and reproduction of plants in cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar Sweet grape, in the hybrid Eucalyptus urograndis, and finally in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This project is linked to the thematic project "Micro/Nanotechnology and Environment: from the evaluation of mechanisms of action to transport and toxicity studies", FAPESP Process: 17/21004 5. The project proposes to carry out the characterization of the size, shape, surface volume, chemical composition, encapsulation efficiency, biological effectiveness, absorption, and transport of NPLs. In addition, it also proposes to carry out experiments that will evaluate germination and vegetative and reproductive development of different cultures in different stages of development, in control solutions, with NPLs, NPLs-Auxins, and free auxins. Morphometric, physiological, physical, biochemical, anatomical, structural, and ultrastructural indices will be evaluated. The results of this work will contribute to the knowledge of NPLs and their relationships with plant organisms, determining an ideal concentration and application method for each analyzed crop, and subsidizing the development of new products for different applications.