Nanopriming and AI for Sustainable Agriculture: Boosting Seed Germination and Seedling Growth with Engineered Nanomaterials, and Smart Monitoring through Deep Learning

Sustainable agriculture, essential for global food security, calls for innovative methods to improve crop yields and conserve resources. Nanopriming, utilizing nanoparticles to enhance seed germination and growth, builds preresistance to diseases and reduces dependence on pesticides and fertilizers. Here, we address two major challenges in the field: effects of varying nanoparticle sizes on seed nutrient enhancement and the lack of efficient, automated systems for germination monitoring. Focusing on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, we synthesize them using hydrothermal and solvothermal methods. Our experiments on bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) and red amaranth (Amaranthus gangeticus) show that nanopriming with these particles, especially those smaller than 30 nm, significantly improves seed germination and seedling growth. Specifically, we observe up to a 23% increase in germination and a 40% rise in shoot length for bitter gourd and a 43% increase in germination with a 20% boost in shoot length for red amaranth. Nanopriming at a concentration of 150 mg/L significantly enhances bitter gourd plant growth, with a notable 90% increase in height and 74% increase in leaf count compared to hydroprimed plants, showcasing the positive impact on fresh biomass production. For field-level monitoring, we propose a sophisticated smart monitoring system incorporating a custom-designed two-axis CNC machine with a single-board computer and high-resolution camera to redefine seed germination and growth assessment.