In recent years, the application of nanotechnology in agriculture has emerged as a highly sustainable tool for crop improvement. Nanoparticles are characterized by their extremely small size and large specific surface area, which can improve plant nutrient absorption and transport.
The search for more sustainable solutions in agriculture that improve yields led to the need for this project. Its overall objective is to design a new innovative product based on OPS iron nanoparticles, evaluating their effect on the yield of horticultural crops.
The project’s research team is comprised of CTAEX staff along with SMALLOPS.
Execution period: 2024–2025
Funding: Program for the consolidation and growth of SMEs, 85% co-financing from the Extremadura Operational Program of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Decree 288/2023, of December 27, 2023.
To achieve the project objective, a field trial was planned throughout the 2024 campaign at the CTAEX experimental farm, located in polygon 182, plot 197, and enclosure 1 in Badajoz, SIGPAC reference 6:900:0:0:182:197:1. Ten cultivars were compared with three different doses of the prototype developed by SMALLOPS and different application methods, compared with a control that was not treated with the product under study.
Cultivation: In the trial plot, agricultural soil preparation tasks were carried out, followed by mechanized transplanting of the processing tomatoes using a Ferrari FMax transplanter on April 30, 2024, with a planting density of 28,000 plants/ha.
Iron is an essential micronutrient for living beings. In plants, it participates in photosynthesis, respiration, enzymatic processes, oxidation state conversion, the cell cycle, oxygen transport and storage, and hormone and DNA synthesis. Despite high concentrations of iron in soils, iron deficiencies occur in crops because it is not always available in plant-available forms. The use of metallic nanoparticles has been shown to increase germination, stress resistance, nutrient uptake, and plant growth. Furthermore, they reduce soil pollution and degradation caused by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers. Iron nanoparticles can increase crop production and quality because they are highly effective when applied by spraying, thus reducing the impact of chemicals on the environment.
Vegetative development: The foliar application of 10 l/ha (H10) stands out for promoting superior vegetative development compared to the combined applications of fertigation and foliar at 5 l/ha (G5+5), 20 l/ha (G20+20), and the exclusive fertigation application at 20 l/ha (F20). Although no direct influence of the SMALLOPS prototype was observed on the vegetative growth of industrial tomato plants compared to the control, this methodology may have potential to be explored in future research.
Chlorophyll content: Forty-five days after transplantation, no significant effect of the SMALLOPS prototype on the chlorophyll content of the plants was observed compared to the control. This highlights the need for further research to identify potential benefits under different conditions.
Nutritional profile: The foliar application of the SMALLOPS prototype at 5 l/ha (H5) showed the greatest nutritional differences compared to the control, while the 20 l/ha (H20) treatment exhibited a more balanced nutritional profile. These results suggest that dose management can optimize nutritional benefits in crops.
Productive yield: The results indicate that the combined application of the SMALLOPS prototype at a dose of 20 l/ha (G20+20) is not viable in terms of productive yield. However, these findings open the opportunity to refine application strategies and explore alternative doses to maximize efficiency.
Health and yield: No significant improvements were detected in production health or productive yield when using the SMALLOPS prototype compared to the control. This finding underscores the importance of conducting additional trials to identify possible effects under different agro-environmental contexts.
Fruit fattening: Although the 10 l/ha fertigation treatment (F10) did not positively influence fruit fattening, foliar applications at 5 l/ha (H5) and 20 l/ha (H20) showed promising trends in this parameter, with H20 standing out for its greater uniformity. These results suggest a foliar approach as an optimization strategy in crop management.
Future recommendations: It is recommended to continue trials for at least three additional agricultural seasons to validate the protocols under diverse agro-environmental conditions and ensure the robustness of the obtained results.