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Silicon (Si) and Zn are beneficial for improving plant growth and human health. Fortifying rice (Oryza sativa L.) with Si and Zn can correct deficiencies of these elements in humans who consume rice. The present study evaluated the effects of different Si and Zn application forms as nanoparticles (NPs) foliar application and soil application (traditional fertilizers) on agronomic performance, grain yield (GY), Si and Zn accumulation, and protein content in rice tissue. The experiment was performed as a randomized complete block design with a factorial set of treatments that included three Si treatments (0, soil‐Si, nano‐Si) and three Zn treatments (0, soil‐Zn, nano‐Zn) with three replicates in two experimental farms (Mazandaran, Iran). The results indicated that Si and Zn applications by both NPs (300 g ha−1) and soil application (9 kg Zn ha−1 and 392 kg Si ha−1) ameliorated the yield components, yield, and nutrient accumulation in rice plant tissue. Application of nano‐Zn, nano‐Si, soil‐Zn, and soil‐Si significantly increased GY by 12.6, 9.5, 9.2, and 6.9%, respectively, above the control. Application of Si and Zn through NPs had greater effects than soil form for some experimental parameters, such as fortification of rice grains. Overall, our results suggest that Si and Zn applications as NPs could increase GY, reduce fertilizer costs and environmental pollution, and enrich rice grains with Si and Zn through improving agronomic and physiological traits, leading to higher GY and nutrients accumulation in grain. Core Ideas Application of Si and Zn increased the agronomic parameters and grain yield. There was no significant interaction among Si and Zn on grain yield. The nano‐Zn foliar spray had better effects than soil‐Zn application for grain Zn accumulation.

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Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a medicinal plant; however, lack of consistency in past dormancy studies has hindered propagation of this species from seeds. We tested the germination responses of freshly harvested and after‐ripened (stored for 2 and 7 months; 25°C at 50% relative humidity) seeds from three populations (P1, P2 and P3) in Iran at varying constant or alternating temperatures, with or without GA3 and in light and continuous darkness. No germination occurred in freshly harvested seeds incubated at any condition without GA3 application, indicating that all the seeds were dormant. Seeds from P1 and P2, which developed under relatively dry, warm conditions, germinated over a wider range of temperatures after 2 months of dry storage, indicating type 6 of non‐deep physiological dormancy (PD). Seeds from P3, which developed under relatively wet, cool conditions, incubated at constant temperatures (especially on GA3), exhibited an increase in maximum temperature for germination, indicating type 1 of non‐deep PD. Light improved germination of after‐ripened seeds, and GA3 application substituted for the light requirement for germination. This is the first report that environmental conditions during seed development may be correlated with differences in the type of non‐deep PD. We conclude that milk thistle seeds are positively photoblastic and photodormant and the germination responses of after‐ripened seeds from different populations are different under darkness. Therefore, the impacts of genetic differences and maternal effects on the induction of dormancy during seed development should be considered in attempts to domesticate this medicinal plant.

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