Researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso tested a nanoparticle spray on tomato plants grown in soil with high salt concentrations.
The spray combined manganese dioxide nanoparticles with chitosan, a biopolymer derived from crustacean shells.
Plants treated with the mixture showed significantly higher survival rates, greater biomass, and improved photosynthetic efficiency compared with untreated plants.
The nanoparticles appeared to enhance the plants' antioxidant defenses and reduce oxidative stress caused by salinity.
Chitosan alone provided some benefit, but the combination with manganese dioxide produced a stronger effect.
The experiments were conducted in controlled greenhouse conditions using a commercial tomato variety.
Further studies are needed to assess field performance, long-term soil impacts, and applicability to other crops.
The research was published in the journal ACS Agricultural Science & Technology.
A spritz of nanoparticles could save tomatoes from salty soil
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