Effectiveness of foliar application of biostimulants and nanoparticles on growth, nitrogen assimilation and nutritional content in green bean

Abstract

The use of biostimulants, such as salicylic acid (SA) and chitosan, are a sustainable strategy to solve stress problems in plants. Its use has been shown to have synergy with metallic microelements, which are very important for the development of crops under stress situations. An advance in the application of these nutrients is the use of nanoparticles, which emerge as a more precise alternative to achieve optimal plant development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of biostimulants, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) nanoparticles on growth, nitrogen assimilation, and nutritional content in green bean cv. ‘Strike’. Three treatments were used where complete nutrient solution was applied via foliar, the combination of chitosan (Q) plus SA and nanoparticles of Fe and Zn plus Q and SA. The application of nutrient solution favoured biomass content and carotene content. While the Q+SA treatment increased the nitrate reductase enzymatic activity, the mineral content in the root and the amino acid content, which places it as a viable alternative in situations where the supply of nutrients is limited or the plant cope with stressful situations. For its part, the application of nanoparticles of Fe and Zn plus biostimulants generated an increase in the mineral content of the aerial part, indicating that the application of this type of compound generates a greater mobility of nutrients within the plant.