Total Flavonoids and Phenolic Compounds of English Daisy (Bellis Perennis L.) Affected by Foliar Application of Nano-Phosphorus Fertilizers

Bellis perennis is an ornamental, medicinal plant with a beautiful appearance. The current study aimed to assess the potential of daisy flowers cv. ‘Habanera’ to synthesize secondary metabolites after being affected by nano-phosphorus. The experiment was performed using a completely randomized design with three replications in greenhouse conditions. To achieve the research objectives, a range of parameters were observed, including total phenol content, total flavonoid content, and free radical scavenging activity in different organs (i.e. flower, leaf, and root), as well as photosynthetic pigments, anthocyanin, and quercetin contents. The results indicated that nano-phosphorus had significant effects on the said parameters (p< 0.05 and 0.01). Chlorophyll A, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids reached maximum content in response to the 1.5 g L-1 treatment. Nonetheless, the total phenol content in petals, free radical scavenging capacity, anthocyanin content and quercetin content were adversely affected by the nano-phosphorus treatment and, in fact, the said parameters showed higher contents in the control treatment. The application of nano-phosphorus fertilizer (3 g L-1) caused the highest flavonoid content in the leaves. At a concentration of 0.5 g L-1, it increased total flavonoid content and total phenols significantly in the roots. Phosphorus is necessary for producing primary and secondary metabolites, phospholipids, and nucleic acids in plants. Thus, its functions can vary greatly in plant organs.