STUDYING EFFECT OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLES ON IMPROVING QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF STRAWBERRY (FRAGARIA ANANASSA)

This experiment was conducted to assess the influence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (anatase TiO₂ NPs) on strawberry (c.v Queen Eliza and Paroos) in a hydroponic condition. Hoagland solution supplemented with TiO₂ NPs at seven concentrations of 0, 1.5, 3.5, 5.5, 7.5, 9.5 and 11.5 mg/l was used. The results indicated that the hydroponically application of anatase TiO₂ NPs in the nutrient solution, compared with the control, increased different characteristics of strawberry plant such as chlorophyll content of leaves, weight and size, ascorbic acid, TSS and TSS/TA ratio of the fruit, pH of the fruit extract and yield (gr/plant). The best results were obtained when using a high concentration (11.5 mg/l) of TiO₂ NPs.