Journal of Plant Process and Function

Madagascar periwinkle is one of the important medicinal plants belonging to Apocynaceae family. In this study the effects of nano zinc oxide on growth index wet and dry weight, leaf surface, photosynthetic pigments, total carbohydrates and amount of elements were investigated. Experiments were designed completely randomized in greenhouse culture conditions with three replications. Zinc oxide nanoparticle in different concentrations (2, 4, 5, 10 and 15 µM) and hogland nutrient as control was given to Catharanthus roseus plant for 70 days. In addition to study the symptoms of zinc deficit used zero concentration. The results indicate that nanooxide in concentrations higher than 2 µM reduced wet and dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, total carbohydrates, iron and phosphorus. Also the results indicate that uptake of zinc in nano scale is higher. Uptake of potassium and zinc increased with increasing the concentration of nano zincoxide. This means intraction between these elements is positive while the intraction of phosphorus and iron with zinc element is antagonisticand with increasing concentration of nano-ZnO the uptake of these elements will be reduced.