Enhancing Sugar Beet Growth and Quality Using Green-Synthesized Nanofertilizers: A Comparative Study of Seed Priming and Foliar Spraying

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> This study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar spraying and seed priming with green-synthesized nanofertilizers (NFs) containing silver (Ag), zinc oxide (ZnO), and a composite of Ag/ZnO at various concentrations on the growth and quality parameters of two sugar beet varieties, Kawemira and Dema Poly. Key parameters assessed included fresh shoot and root weight, relative chlorophyll content, total soluble solids (TSS), sucrose content, and juice purity percentage. Foliar application of Ag NFs at 50 and 100 ppm, administered 15 days after sowing, resulted in the highest fresh shoot and root weights for the Kawemira variety. In contrast, the Dema Poly variety exhibited superior TSS, sucrose content, and juice purity percentages under the same treatments. Significant interactions were observed between treatment and application timing (TD), as well as between variety and treatment type (VT), for all measured traits, except for juice purity percentage in foliar spray treatments. Notably, the Kawemira variety demonstrated significantly higher TSS and sucrose percentages when treated with the Ag/ZnO NFs composite at 50 ppm, applied 30 days after sowing. The response to treatment varied depending on the sugar beet variety, highlighting the importance of tailoring nanofertilizer applications to specific cultivars. The formation of Ag NFs, ZnO NFs, and Ag/ZnO NFs composites was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ensuring the structural and elemental integrity of the synthesized nanomaterials. These findings emphasize the potential of green-synthesized nanofertilizers to enhance sugar beet growth and quality, offering a sustainable approach to improving agricultural productivity.