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The present study explored the effectiveness of SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) as seed priming agent (15 mg L–1) to improve drought tolerance in the wheat cultivar HI 1544. Seed germination studies showed significant enhancement in the rate of seed germination, seedling growth and vigour, seed water uptake, and amylase activity in nanoprimed (NP) seeds compared with unprimed (UP) seeds. Pot experiments using wheat plants subjected to drought stress showed that SiO2 nanopriming enhanced the ability of wheat plants to withstand water deficit conditions by balancing the production of reactive oxygen species and the activity of enzymatic antioxidants like peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. Investigations of photosynthetic parameters showed that under drought conditions, nanoprimed plants had a higher number of active reaction centres, high absorbance, trapping, and electron transport rates compared with unprimed plants. These results suggest the effects of silicon nanopriming in enhancing drought tolerance in wheat by alleviating drought induced inhibition of plant photosynthetic machinery and maintaining biochemical balance, ultimately resulting in an increase in biomass production. Results revealed the use of silicon oxide nanopriming to be a good option to increase drought tolerance in wheat plants.

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The impact of light intensity on the toxicity of pyrene, a 4-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), was studied in Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus acutus. Both species were cultured under low light, LL [50-60 µmol(photon) m -2 s -1 ], and high light, HL [100-110 µmol(photon) m -2 s -1 ] conditions to study the effects of pyrene (PYR) toxicity on growth parameters, the content of biomolecules, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic efficiency. In the presence of PYR, S. acutus could grow well in LL and HL intensity. On the other hand, C. vulgaris showed a drastic decrease in growth and photosynthesis during HL conditions due to PYR toxicity. Regulation of nonphotochemical and photochemical quenching was responsible for the survival of S. acutus under PYR toxicity in LL and HL conditions. Thus, S. acutus seems to be a more promising candidate for pyrene degradation under varying light conditions. Highlights• Chlorella vulgaris is more sensitive to PYR in high light than in low light intensity • Scenedesmus acutus regulates Y(NPQ) and Y(NO) to protect PSII from pyrene toxicity • Scenedesmus acutus is more suitable for the removal of pyrene under varying light conditions Materials and methodsAlgal species and culture conditions: Freshwater microalgal species C. vulgaris was procured from Phycospectrum