Advancing phosphorus foliar fertilization with nano-hydroxyapatite: mechanisms and agricultural relevance
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, 1871, Denmark
- 2University of Copenhagen
- 3Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C3, Canada
- 4McGill University
- 5Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) use in agriculture remains inefficient and poses long-term environmental concerns. We investigate the uptake, redistribution, and efficacy of foliar-applied nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) in P-deficient barley (Hordeum vulgare), aiming to clarify its mode of action and evaluate its potential as a practical alternative to conventional phosphate salts. Using a simple, low-cost wet synthesis, we produced chemically-labelled nHAp with uniform elongated morphology (median length and width of 33.6 and 5.3 nm, respectively), excellent colloidal stability, pH-dependent solubility, and full redispersibility, suitable for highly concentrated foliar formulations. Infiltration experiments reveal that nHAp dissolves gradually in situ, with peak phosphate release between 1-3 days post-treatment, enabling local and systemic P recovery in deficient plants without inducing leaf scorching, unlike conventional P fertilizers. Bioimaging reveals that nHAp, applied as droplets to the leaf surface, penetrates via stomata and diffuses through the apoplast, where it dissolves and releases P without entering mesophyll cells. Uptake efficiency was strongly influenced by formulation surface tension and air humidity, and varied markedly between crop species. When comparing barley with potato, it was shown that potato exhibited high uptake at single applications, whereas barley required repeated treatments due to lower uptake efficiency. These findings position nHAp as a promising nanobiotechnological approach for sustainable and slow-release foliar P fertilization.
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BibTeX
@article{minutello2026advancing,
title = {{Advancing phosphorus foliar fertilization with nano-hydroxyapatite: mechanisms and agricultural relevance}},
author = {Francesco Minutello and Idil Ertem and Augusta Szameitat and Birte Martin-Bertelsen and Birgit Andersen and Amanda Del Balso and Charlotte Henkel and Xiaoyu Gao and Subhasis Ghoshal and Steen Husted},
journal = {Journal of Nanobiotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12951-026-04896-z},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-026-04896-z},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Advancing phosphorus foliar fertilization with nano-hydroxyapatite: mechanisms and agricultural relevance
AU - Francesco Minutello
AU - Idil Ertem
AU - Augusta Szameitat
AU - Birte Martin-Bertelsen
AU - Birgit Andersen
AU - Amanda Del Balso
AU - Charlotte Henkel
AU - Xiaoyu Gao
AU - Subhasis Ghoshal
AU - Steen Husted
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/17
JO - Journal of Nanobiotechnology
DO - 10.1186/s12951-026-04896-z
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-026-04896-z
AB - Phosphorus (P) use in agriculture remains inefficient and poses long-term environmental concerns. We investigate the uptake, redistribution, and efficacy of foliar-applied nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) in P-deficient barley (Hordeum vulgare), aiming to clarify its mode of action and evaluate its potential as a practical alternative to conventional phosphate salts. Using a simple, low-cost wet synthesis, we produced chemically-labelled nHAp with uniform elongated morphology (median length and width of 33.6 and 5.3 nm, respectively), excellent colloidal stability, pH-dependent solubility, and full redispersibility, suitable for highly concentrated foliar formulations. Infiltration experiments reveal that nHAp dissolves gradually in situ, with peak phosphate release between 1-3 days post-treatment, enabling local and systemic P recovery in deficient plants without inducing leaf scorching, unlike conventional P fertilizers. Bioimaging reveals that nHAp, applied as droplets to the leaf surface, penetrates via stomata and diffuses through the apoplast, where it dissolves and releases P without entering mesophyll cells. Uptake efficiency was strongly influenced by formulation surface tension and air humidity, and varied markedly between crop species. When comparing barley with potato, it was shown that potato exhibited high uptake at single applications, whereas barley required repeated treatments due to lower uptake efficiency. These findings position nHAp as a promising nanobiotechnological approach for sustainable and slow-release foliar P fertilization.
SN - 1477-3155
ER -