The Use of Hydrogen Peroxide and Silver Nanoparticles in Horticulture

Abstract

Both hydrogen peroxide and silver can oxidize organic and inorganic molecules, and this causes them to affect the metabolism of living organisms in many ways. The paper presents examples of the impact of H2O2 and silver on stimulating plant growth and development and increasing plants’ resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The most underlined proposal for application in horticulture is the control of microorganisms during cultivating and storing vegetables, fruits, and flowers, aiming to replace synthetic pesticides. Preparations containing H2O2, silver, or both components can be widely used in horticulture for plant protection, in the form of spraying and soaking seedlings, to protect them during the time of storage, for disinfecting tubers, bulbs, and rhizomes before planting, for fogging potatoes and root vegetables during storage, for quick healing of wounds on the roots and aboveground parts of plants, after cutting and in the case of frost damage and injuries caused by winds, for disinfecting seeds, and, as stimulants of plant development and inducers of resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, their practical use depends on obtaining the legislator’s consent for their broader use in horticultural production.

Keywords

• hydrogen peroxide
• silver nanoparticles
• plant protection
• control of microorganisms
• plant stimulants
• resistance induction