The present study investigates the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the in vitro propagation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). In recent years, nanotechnology has gained
considerable attention in agricultural research due to its potential applications in enhancing plant growth and development. ZnO NPs have demonstrated various beneficial effects on plant
systems, including seed germination, root development, and overall plant growth. However,
their impact on the in vitro propagation of tomato has not been extensively explored. The aim of the study is to assess the effect of ZnO NPs in invitro propagation of tomato plants and the effect of PGRs along with the ZnO NPs. The experiment involves the treatment of tomato plantlets with different concentrations of ZnO NPs, ranging from 10 ppm to 200 ppm. The
growth parameters, including whole plant length, leaf length, shoot length, and root length, are
measured and compared with a control group. The results reveal that the application of ZnO
NPs at specific concentrations influences the growth of tomato plantlets. At 50 ppm of ZnO
NPs the tomato plantlets exhibit increased whole plant length and root length compared to the control. However, concentrations above 50 ppm do not lead to further enhancements in plant growth. This study also investigates the combined effect of ZnO NPs and PGRs on the in vitro
propagation of tomato plants. The results reveal that the combination of IAA+KIN and IAA+GA+KIN with ZnO NPs influences the maximum growth of tomato plantlets, which leads to increased whole plant length and root length compared to the control. However, concentrations above a certain threshold do not yield further enhancements in plant growth. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential use of ZnO NPs and PGRs for
promoting the in-vitro propagation of tomato plants. Further research is needed to investigate
the underlying mechanisms and optimize the application of ZnO NPs for improving tomato
cultivation practices.
Keywords: Solanum lycopersicum L., Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles, nanotechnology, Plant
growth regulators.