Boron (B) deficiency affects over 132 crop species globally, making effective B supplements crucial for enhancing agricultural yield and health. This study explores an innovative application of nanoscale boron nitride (nano-BN) as a sustainable solution for addressing B deficiency in crops.
Cucumber seedlings were treated with different contents of nano-BN under greenhouse conditions and both B and N ionic treatments were set as comparisons. Results show that soil application of 10 mg/kg nano-BN achieved a remarkable 15.8 % increase in fresh weight compared to the control. Notably, nano-BN exhibited superior efficiency in providing essential micronutrients without inducing toxicity as compared to traditional ionic B sources.
Phytohormone correlation analysis reveals that nano-BN application significantly enhances levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and cytokinins while reducing abscisic acid (ABA), fostering optimal plant growth conditions. Furthermore, increases in dissolved organic matter (DOM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels in the rhizosphere improve nutrient availability and promote beneficial microbial activity in the soil as affected by nano-BN. Metagenomics techniques were used to investigate the impact of nano-BN on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling, alongside its effects on the soil microbiome. The upregulation of genes associated with fermentation pathways as affected by nano-BN suggests enhanced carbon cycling. Additionally, nano-BN upregulated a number of functional genes involved in nitrogen-based processes, leading to a significant increase in microorganisms harboring nitrogen-fixing genes, including Phenylobacterium, Novosphingobium, and Reyranella.
Overall, these findings provide valuable insight into the application of nano-BN in agriculture to sustainably increase crop productivity and enhance the efficiency of carbon and nitrogen cycling.
Xinxin Xu, Yi Hao, Zeyu Cai, Yini Cao, Weili Jia, Jian Zhao, Jason C. White, Chuanxin Ma,
Nanoscale‑boron nitride positively alters rhizosphere microbial communities and subsequent cucumber (Cucumis sativa) growth: A metagenomic analysis, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 958, 2025, 178115, ISSN 0048-9697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178115
Source: Science Direct