Mona Sorahinobar - Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran,
Tooba Deldari - Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran,
Zahra Nazem Bokaee - Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran,
Ali Mehdinia - Department of Marine Science, Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science, Tehran, Iran

Nanoparticles have found novel applications in different branches of sciences including biotechnology and agriculture. This study aimed to examine the effect of ZnO nanoparticles on growth and protein content of mung bean seedlings in vitro. Mung beans seeds were cultured on MS media containing ۶ different levels of ZnO nanoparticles (۰, ۱۰, ۲۰, ۴۰, ۸۰ and ۱۶۰ ppm) with three replications. Seedlings were harvested at ۷ days after germination and analyzed for germination rate, growth (length and fresh biomass) and total protein content. Results indicated that while an increased length of seedlings were observed at lower concentration of ZnO NPs (۰–۲۰ ppm); at higher concentration (۴۰–۱۶۰ ppm) decrease in length was recorded. Interestingly the seedlings fresh weight significantly decreased with the increase of ZnO NPs concentrations in media culture. ZnO NP treatments also lead to an increase in the mung bean protein content in all concentrations. Taken together, the inhibition of germination and decrease of seedling biomass can be considered as an indication of stress condition imposed by ZnO. More analysis is underway to clarify the mechanism of ZnO impact on plant nutrition and physiology.

Growth, Mung bean, Nanoparticles, Protein content, Seedling, ZnO