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Introduction
Molluscan shells are produced as a waste product from a variety of anthropogenic activities in the mollusc aquaculture, but at the same time, calcium carbonate is mined in the form of limestone for agricultural applications and viewed as a valuable commodity. In that sense, the utilization of shell waste is a useful approach for both sustainable resource management and reduced waste storage. So far, the uses of marine shell waste have been limited and increased awareness of the valuable biomaterial paves a way for both environmental and economic benefit, numerous established and sustainable applications such as soil conditioners, low-cost adsorbents, calcium supplements, wastewater treatment, poultry feed, and construction materials [1]. Calcium (Ca) is one of the important major components in molluscan shell and also an essential plant nutrient which plays a vital role in maintaining cell wall structure, membrane function and to regulate growth of the plant [2, 3]. Plant growth and structural reliability of stems that hold flowers and quality of the fruit produced, are strongly depend on calcium availability. Ca is a cell-signaling molecule and a co-factor required for membrane transport, maturation and yield-determining factor. Further, Ca improves the microbial disease resistance in plants [4]. Presently, agriculture envisages rapid commercial seed production technology as a vital component which encompasses homogeneous seed germination, and seedling emergence as significant factors of successful stand establishment [5, 6]. Generally, seed germination starts with H2O absorption by the dry seed and induct the embryonic axis development. The radical comes through the seed envelopes, further the projection of the root, and afterward the shoot takes place [5]. Long-term seed storage ultimately causes loss by bio-chemical changes at the cellular level. This leads to normal seed aging, later ends in limited crop productivity. Seed-priming techniques has been found to be helpful for enhancing quality of seed, seedling formation, crop yields, and to improve the environmental stress tolerance [7].
Various priming agents such as Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG), inorganic salts (KCl, CaCl2, ZnSO4, and MnSO4), and water are being used [8]. They differ in properties, and require different optimization priming techniques for different crop species [9, 10–11]. Hence, alternative priming method to enhance seed germination in plants is needed. Nanotechnology has drawn...