Unveiling the Potential of Nanobubbles in Water: Impacts on Tomato Growth and Soil Properties

Abstract

Nanobubbles (NBs) in water have been proven to improve plant growth and seed germination, potentially reducing both water and fertilizer consumption. To unravel the promotion mechanism of NBs on plant growth, this study investigated the characterization of NBs in tap water and their impacts on tomato growth, soil chemical properties, enzymatic activity and electrochemical properties of plant roots. Oxygen NBs (ONB) was found to increase the seed germination by 10% and plant growth by 30%-50% (e.g., stem and diameter), whereas nitrogen NB (NNB) only had a significant promotion (7%-34%) on plant height. Additionally, compared to control group, irrigation with ONB increased the peroxidase activities by 500%-1000% in tomato leaves, which may increase the expression of genes for peroxidase and promote cell proliferation and plant growth. Moreover, electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that the ONBs could reduce the interfacial impedance due to the increased active surface area and electrical conductivity of root.

Keywords: nanobubble, plant growth, enzymatic activity, electrical impedance spectroscopy, soil properties