Abstract
Alkaline stress severely impairs the growth and yield of Zea mays L. by disrupting physiological and biochemical functions. This study evaluated green-synthesized ZnO and MgO nanoparticles (NPs), prepared using neem and licorice extracts, for mitigating alkaline stress. NPs were nanosized, crystalline, and functionalized by phytochemicals, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A pot experiment using NPs (25-200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress assessed morphological, physiological, biochemical, and ionic responses. Alkaline stress reduced root fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.66 g (-59.6%, -31.0%), shoot fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.38 g (-59.6%, -70.0%), and chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 1.31, 0.67, and 2.40 mg g-1 (-62.4%, -54.7%, -62.8%), whereas it increased malondialdehyde (MDA) (244.6%), H₂O₂ (457.7%), and relative membrane permeability (RMP) (55.9%). The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%). Antioxidant enzymes increased, with superoxide dismutase at 29.52 U mg-1 (452.8%), peroxidase at 24.44 U mg-1 (862%), and ascorbate peroxidase at 51.62 U mg-1 (560%), whereas MDA, H2O2, and RMP (-78.1%) were reduced. High NP concentrations (ZnO 100 ppm + MgO 100 ppm) were toxic. Moderate ZnO and MgO NP doses enhanced resilience, yield stability, and sustainable agriculture.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by-nc-nd. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 19
Claim · model-written summary
Alkaline stress reduced root fresh and dry weight in maize.
- Organ / stage
- roote1
- Treatment
- Alkaline stresse1
- Outcome
- root fresh and dry weighte1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- -59.6%, -31.0%e1
- Comparator
- controle2
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e1“Alkaline stress reduced root fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.66 g (-59.6%, -31.0%), shoot fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.38 g (-59.6%, -70.0%), and chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 1.31, 0.67, and 2.40 mg g-1 (-62.4%, -54.7%, -62.8%)”
e2“A pot experiment using NPs (25-200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress”
Claim · model-written summary
Alkaline stress reduced shoot fresh and dry weight in maize.
- Organ / stage
- shoote1
- Treatment
- Alkaline stresse1
- Outcome
- shoot fresh and dry weighte1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- -59.6%, -70.0%e1
- Comparator
- controle2
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e1“Alkaline stress reduced root fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.66 g (-59.6%, -31.0%), shoot fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.38 g (-59.6%, -70.0%), and chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 1.31, 0.67, and 2.40 mg g-1 (-62.4%, -54.7%, -62.8%)”
e2“A pot experiment using NPs (25-200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress”
Claim · model-written summary
Alkaline stress reduced chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids in maize.
- Treatment
- Alkaline stresse1
- Outcome
- chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoidse1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- -62.4%, -54.7%, -62.8%e1
- Comparator
- controle2
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e1“Alkaline stress reduced root fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.66 g (-59.6%, -31.0%), shoot fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.38 g (-59.6%, -70.0%), and chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 1.31, 0.67, and 2.40 mg g-1 (-62.4%, -54.7%, -62.8%)”
e2“A pot experiment using NPs (25-200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress”
Claim · model-written summary
Alkaline stress increased malondialdehyde (MDA) in maize.
- Treatment
- Alkaline stresse2
- Outcome
- malondialdehyde (MDA)e3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- 244.6%e3
- Comparator
- controle2
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e2“A pot experiment using NPs (25-200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress”
e3“whereas it increased malondialdehyde (MDA) (244.6%), H₂O₂ (457.7%), and relative membrane permeability (RMP) (55.9%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Alkaline stress increased H₂O₂ in maize.
- Treatment
- Alkaline stresse2
- Outcome
- H₂O₂e3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- 457.7%e3
- Comparator
- controle2
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e2“A pot experiment using NPs (25-200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress”
e3“whereas it increased malondialdehyde (MDA) (244.6%), H₂O₂ (457.7%), and relative membrane permeability (RMP) (55.9%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Alkaline stress increased relative membrane permeability (RMP) in maize.
- Treatment
- Alkaline stresse2
- Outcome
- relative membrane permeability (RMP)e3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- 55.9%e3
- Comparator
- controle2
- Setting
- pot experimente2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e2“A pot experiment using NPs (25-200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress”
e3“whereas it increased malondialdehyde (MDA) (244.6%), H₂O₂ (457.7%), and relative membrane permeability (RMP) (55.9%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each improved chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids in maize under alkaline stress.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoidse3
- Direction
- improvede3
- Value
- 165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased total soluble protein in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- total soluble proteine3
- Direction
- improvede3
- Value
- 392.8%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased total protein in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- total proteine3
- Direction
- improvede3
- Value
- 301.0%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased proline in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- prolinee3
- Direction
- improvede3
- Value
- 105.5%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased glutathione in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- glutathionee3
- Direction
- improvede3
- Value
- 35.6%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased ascorbic acid in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- ascorbic acide3
- Direction
- improvede3
- Value
- 44.2%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased superoxide dismutase activity in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- superoxide dismutasee5
- Direction
- increasede5
- Value
- 452.8%e5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
e5“Antioxidant enzymes increased, with superoxide dismutase at 29.52 U mg-1 (452.8%), peroxidase at 24.44 U mg-1 (862%), and ascorbate peroxidase at 51.62 U mg-1 (560%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased peroxidase activity in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- peroxidasee5
- Direction
- increasede5
- Value
- 862%e5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
e5“Antioxidant enzymes increased, with superoxide dismutase at 29.52 U mg-1 (452.8%), peroxidase at 24.44 U mg-1 (862%), and ascorbate peroxidase at 51.62 U mg-1 (560%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each increased ascorbate peroxidase activity in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- ascorbate peroxidasee5
- Direction
- increasede5
- Value
- 560%e5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
e5“Antioxidant enzymes increased, with superoxide dismutase at 29.52 U mg-1 (452.8%), peroxidase at 24.44 U mg-1 (862%), and ascorbate peroxidase at 51.62 U mg-1 (560%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ZnO and MgO nanoparticles at 50 ppm each reduced MDA, H2O2 and relative membrane permeability in maize.
- Treatment
- combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatmente3
- Outcome
- MDA, H2O2, and RMPe6
- Direction
- reducede6
- Value
- -78.1%e6
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e3“The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g-1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%)”
e6“whereas MDA, H2O2, and RMP (-78.1%) were reduced”
Claim · model-written summary
High NP concentrations (ZnO 100 ppm + MgO 100 ppm) were toxic to maize.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e7“High NP concentrations (ZnO 100 ppm + MgO 100 ppm) were toxic”
Claim · model-written summary
Moderate ZnO and MgO nanoparticle doses enhanced resilience and yield stability of maize, according to the authors.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e7“Moderate ZnO and MgO NP doses enhanced resilience, yield stability, and sustainable agriculture”
Claim · model-written summary
The green-synthesized NPs were nanosized, crystalline and functionalized by phytochemicals.
- Outcome
- nanosized, crystalline, and functionalized by phytochemicalse6
- Qualifier
- confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopye6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zea mays L.”
e6“NPs were nanosized, crystalline, and functionalized by phytochemicals, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy”
The same questions in other papers
zinc oxide · yield · Zea mays (maize)Results differ
12 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
9 papers more in this group
See all 13 papers →zinc oxide · physiology: oxidative · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
3 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- negative
- positive
- positive
1 paper more in this group
See all 5 papers →zinc oxide · quality: phytochemicals · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- positive
zinc oxide · quality: protein · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
zinc oxide · physiology: osmolytes · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
zinc oxide · physiology: antioxidant enzymes · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
5 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
2 papers more in this group
See all 6 papers →zinc oxide · molecular: metabolites · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
6 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
3 papers more in this group
See all 7 papers →zinc oxide · physiology: pigments · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
11 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
8 papers more in this group
See all 12 papers →8 of 12 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.