Wen Zhang, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE

Principal Investigator
Professor

Phone: (973) 596-5520 
Fax: (973) 596-5790
Email: wen.zhang@njit.edu

Office Location: Colton Hall 211

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An interdisciplinary team from Tongji University, Fudan University and NJIT recently published “Nanobubbles promote nutrient utilization and plant growth in rice by upregulating nutrient uptake genes and stimulating growth hormone production” in Science of The Total Environment. 

This study discovered or delivered the following key points related to the impacts of NBs in water irrigation:
(1) As many studies reported that ROS is produced from the collapse of NBs [1, 2], proper levels of ROS in water may serve as a signal molecule affecting plant growth and triggering plant responses in genetic levels [3]. Plants sense and make genomic responses to this ROS level (e.g.., via the excessive gene expressions) [4].
(2) Bioavailability of soil contents [5]. Owing to their unique colloidal characteristics such as negative surface charge and high hydrophobicity, NBs may increase the mobility and absorption of soil nutrients (e.g., cations) towards the plant root.
(3) Soil microbial activity and diversity [6]. Air NBs are likely to improve soil microbial activity, diversity and community by increasing nutrient availability and oxygen content in soil [7, 8]. Soil microbes also affect the efficiency of nutrient use by plants [9, 10], which should positively impact plant growth and shows an increase in plant growth hormone synthesis.
Finally, NBs may indirectly activate the genes that are involved in nutrient absorption and promote plant growth hormone biosynthesis. This study has offered some new insights that air NBs promoted the growth of rice and increased the adaptability of plant to environmental stress by activating the physiologically genes expression and plant hormones biosynthesis. As a result, we could potentially reduce the fertilizer dose by using NB water irrigation as an alternative amendment.


​​See details: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149627

Nanobubbles promote nutrient utilization and plant growth in rice by upregulating nutrient uptake genes and stimulating growth hormone production

References:
[1] Liu, S., Oshita, S., Kawabata, S., Makino, Y.,Yoshimoto, T., 2016. Identification of ROS Produced by Nanobubbles and Their Positive and Negative Effects on Vegetable Seed Germination. Langmuir 32:11295-11302.
[2] Takahashi M, Shirai Y, Sugawa S, 2021. Free-Radical Generation from Bulk Nanobubbles in Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions: ESR Spin-Trap Observation of Microbubble-Treated Water. Langmuir 37(16):5005-5011.
[3] Liu, S., Oshita, S., Kawabata, S., Makino, Y., Yoshimoto, T., 2016. Identification of ROS Produced by Nanobubbles and Their Positive and Negative Effects on Vegetable Seed Germination. Langmuir 32: 11295-11302.
[4] Petre B, Lorrain C, Stukenbrock EH, Duplessis S, 2020. Host-specialized transcriptome of plant-associated organisms. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 56:81-88.
[5] Wu, Y., Lyu, T., Yue, B., Tonoli, E., Verderio, E.A.M., Ma, Y.,Pan, G., 2019. Enhancement of Tomato Plant Growth and Productivity in Organic Farming by Agri-Nanotechnology Using Nanobubble Oxygation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 67:10823-10831.
[6] Zhou, Y., Bastida, F., Zhou, B., Sun, Y., Gu, T., Li, S.,Li, Y., 2020. Soil fertility and crop production are fostered by micro-nano bubble irrigation with associated changes in soil bacterial community. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 141:107663.
[7] Wu, Y., Lyu, T., Yue, B., Tonoli, E., Verderio, E.A.M., Ma, Y.,Pan, G., 2019b. Enhancement of Tomato Plant Growth and Productivity in Organic Farming by Agri-Nanotechnology Using Nanobubble Oxygation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 67, 10823-10831.
[8] Zhou, Y., Bastida, F., Zhou, B., Sun, Y., Gu, T., Li, S.,Li, Y., 2020. Soil fertility and crop production are fostered by micro-nano bubble irrigation with associated changes in soil bacterial community. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 141, 107663.
[9] Hu, J., Lin, X., Wang, J., Dai, J., Cui, X., Chen, R.,Zhang, J., 2009. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus enhances crop yield and P-uptake of maize (Zea mays L.): A field case study on a sandy loam soil as affected by long-term P-deficiency fertilization. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41, 2460-2465.
[10] Dai, M., Hamel, C., Bainard, L.D., Arnaud, M.S., Grant, C.A., Lupwayi, N.Z., Malhi, S.S.,Lemke, R., 2014. Negative and positive contributions of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal taxa to wheat production and nutrient uptake efficiency in organic and conventional systems in the Canadian prairie. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 74, 156-166.

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