Comparative efficacy of selenate and selenium nanoparticles for improving growth, productivity, fruit quality, and postharvest longevity through modifying nutrition, metabolism, and gene expression in tomato; potential benefits and risk assessment

Abstract

This study attempted to address molecular, developmental, and physiological responses of tomato plants to foliar applications of selenium nanoparticles (nSe) at 0, 3, and 10 mgl-1 or corresponding doses of sodium selenate (BSe). The BSe/nSe treatment at 3 mgl-1 increased shoot and root biomass, while at 10 mgl-1 moderately reduced biomass accumulation. Foliar application of BSe/nSe, especially the latter, at the lower dose enhanced fruit production, and postharvest longevity, while at the higher dose induced moderate toxicity and restricted fruit production. In leaves, the BSe/nSe treatments transcriptionally upregulated miR172 (mean = 3.5-folds). The Se treatments stimulated the expression of the bZIP transcription factor (mean = 9.7-folds). Carotene isomerase (CRTISO) gene was transcriptionally induced in both leaves and fruits of the nSe-treated seedlings by an average of 5.5 folds. Both BSe or nSe at the higher concentration increased proline concentrations, H2O2 accumulation, and lipid peroxidation levels, suggesting oxidative stress and impaired membrane integrity. Both BSe or nSe treatments also led to the induction of enzymatic antioxidants (catalase and peroxidase), an increase in concentrations of ascorbate, non-protein thiols, and soluble phenols, as well as a rise in the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzyme. Supplementation at 3 mgl-1 improved the concentration of mineral nutrients (Mg, Fe, and Zn) in fruits. The bioaccumulated Se contents in the nSe-treated plants were much higher than the corresponding concentration of selenate, implying a higher efficacy of the nanoform towards biofortification programs. Se at 10 mgl-1, especially in selenate form, reduced both size and density of pollen grains, indicating its potential toxicity at the higher doses. This study provides novel molecular and physiological insights into the nSe efficacy for improving plant productivity, fruit quality, and fruit post-harvest longevity.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles mediated substantial physiological and molecular changes in tomato

“…However, the mechanism through which ZnO-NP is capable of conferring partly differential responses remains controversial. A majority of researchers believe that differential physicochemical characteristics of nanoparticles relative to the bulk contributed to differences in their uptake kinetics, subsequent interactions with biomolecules, signaling, and responses [1][2][3][10][11][12]22,27,28]. More studies are, therefore, required to confirm this hypothesis.…”

“…Transcription factors and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are regulatory proteins that contributed to gene regulation and signal transduction [21,22]. We, therefore, attempted to monitor the ZnO-NP-mediated transcriptional variation in several important transcription factors, including R2R3MYB [23], bHLH [24], WRKY1 [21], EREB [9], HsfA1a [25], and MKK2 [26].…”

Bulk and nanoparticles of zinc oxide exerted their beneficial effects by conferring modifications in transcription factors, histone deacetylase, carbon and nitrogen assimilation, antioxidant biomarkers, and secondary metabolism in soybean

“…ZnO NPs also induced genes that contributed to the antioxidant system, such as OsCATA , OsCATB , OsPRX65 , OsPRX89 , OsPRX11 , OsCu / ZnSOD1 , OsCu / ZnSOD2 , and OsCu / ZnSOD3 [ 7 ]. The involvement of microRNAs in plant responses to nanoparticles has been supported in barley [ 11 ] and tomato [ 24 ]. It has been well confirmed that microRNAs have close crosslinks with transcription factors and chromatin remodeling systems [ 27 ].…”

Comparative study of silicon and selenium to modulate chloroplast pigments levels, Hill activity, photosynthetic parameters and carbohydrate metabolism under arsenic stress in rice seedlings

“…Se nanoparticles in the range of 10 to 30 mg l − 1 exhibited acute toxic effects and alleviated the growth of roots and leaves in Capsicum annuum whilst nSe in the range between 0.5 to 1 mg l − 1 exhibited promotion in the said parameters and also regulated the expression of WRKY1 and bZIP1 transcription factors in DNA methylation techniques (Sotoodehnia-Korani et al, 2020). In the study of Neysanian et al, (2020), it was also reported that 3 mg l − 1 nSe application not only increased the growth, biomass contents and fruit development but also triggered the expression of bZIP transcription factor as well as miR172 gene regulation in tomato plants.…”