Foliar application of green-synthesized MoO₃ nanoparticles alleviates salinity stress in molokhia by boosting antioxidant defense and stress-related gene expression.
Elsherif DE, Alaziz OA, Rashed EH, Hewidy AM, Abdelazim RA
Nano Fertilizers
If you grow leafy greens in pots or raised beds where salts build up over time from tap water and fertilizers, this research points toward a mineral-based foliar spray that could protect your plants without synthetic chemicals.
Scientists took a mineral called molybdenum and turned it into ultra-tiny particles using an extract from a plant — no harsh chemicals needed. When they sprayed these particles on molokhia, a leafy green popular in Middle Eastern and African cooking, the plants handled extremely salty conditions much better than untreated ones. The spray seemed to switch on the plants' own stress-defense systems, keeping them greener, more productive, and richer in beneficial compounds.
Key Findings
MoO₃ nanoparticles averaging just 9.2 nm in size were successfully made using a plant extract (clover relative), making the process eco-friendly and chemical-free.
A 50 mg/L foliar spray significantly reversed the growth suppression, pigment loss, and oxidative damage caused by 250 mM NaCl — a very high salinity level.
The nanoparticles boosted antioxidant enzyme activity and upregulated stress-related genes, meaning they enhanced the plant's own built-in defense machinery rather than just masking symptoms.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Tiny nanoparticles made from molybdenum — a trace mineral plants already need — were sprayed onto molokhia leaves and dramatically reduced the damage caused by high salt levels in the soil, helping the plants grow better and stay healthier.
Abstract Preview
Salinity stress is a major global challenge that impairs plant growth by disrupting numerous physiological and biochemical processes. Nano-fertilizers, particularly green synthesized nanoparticles,...
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Mulukhiyah, also known as mulukhiyya, molokhiyya, melokhiyya, molohiya or ewédú, is a type of jute plant and a dish made from the leaves of Corchorus olitorius, commonly known in English as jute, Jew's-mallow, nalta jute, or tossa jute. It is used as a vegetable and is mainly eaten in Egypt, the ...