Efficacy of Carbon Nanodots and Manganese Ferrite (MnFe2O4) Nanoparticles in Stimulating Growth and Antioxidant Activity in Drought-Stressed Maize Inbred Lines

Abstract

Despite being the third most-consumed crop, maize (Zea mays L.) is highly vulnerable to drought stress. The predominant secondary metabolite in plants is phenolic acids, which scavenge reactive oxygen species to minimize oxidative stress under drought stress. Herein, the effect of carbon nanodots (CND) and manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanoparticles (NP) on the drought stress tolerance of maize has been studied. The experimental results revealed that the highest leaf blade length (54.0 cm) and width (3.9 cm), root length (45.2 cm), stem diameter (11.1 mm), root fresh weight (7.0 g), leaf relative water content (84.8%) and chlorogenic (8.7 µg/mL), caffeic (3.0 µg/mL) and syringic acid (1.0 µg/mL) contents were demonstrated by CND-treated (10 mg L−1) inbred lines (GP5, HW19, HCW2, 17YS6032, HCW3, HCW4, HW7, HCW2, and 16S8068-9, respectively). However, the highest shoot length (71.5 cm), leaf moisture content (83.9%), shoot fresh weight (12.5 g), chlorophyll content (47.3), and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (34.1%) were observed in MnFe2O4 NP-treated (300 mg L−1) HF12, HW15, 11BS8016-7, HW15, HW12, and KW7 lines, respectively. The results indicate that CND and MnFe2O4 NP can mitigate drought stress effects on different accessions of the given population, as corroborated by improvements in growth and physio-biochemical traits among several inbred lines of maize.

Association Mapping for Evaluation of Population Structure, Genetic Diversity, and Physiochemical Traits in Drought-Stressed Maize Germplasm Using SSR Markers

“…The results from seven physiochemical traits studied in 41 maize-inbred lines under drought stress are exhibited in Table S1 . These data have been studied previously by Ilyas et al (2023) [ 31 ]. The caffeic acid content ranged from 0.000 to 2.915 µg/mL across the 41 maize-inbred lines, with a mean value of 1.295 µg/mL.…”

“…Group II comprised 12 accessions representing 32.4% of the population, and the admixed group included 5 accessions [29]. Likewise, Sa et al (2023) [30] investigated the population structure of 80 maize-inbred lines using STRUCTURE 2.3 software. They revealed that all the inbred lines were divided into two primary groups (Group I and Group II) and one admixed group.…”

Manganese Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Mechanisms of Influence on Plant Resistance to Stress, and Prospects for Application in Agricultural Chemistry

“…MnFe 2 O 4 NPs have been shown to mitigate the effects of drought stress in maize. Thus, treatment with NPs stimulated shoot length and biomass and chlorophyll content . In a field experiment, spraying the leaves of soybean ( Glycine max L.) with Mn nanochelate showed an increase in plant resistance to drought, which was manifested in stimulation of biometric parameters and yield compared to plants not treated with nanochelate .…”

“…Thus, treatment with NPs stimulated shoot length and biomass and chlorophyll content. 118 In a field experiment, spraying the leaves of soybean (Glycine max L.) with Mn nanochelate showed an increase in plant resistance to drought, which was manifested in stimulation of biometric parameters and yield compared to plants not treated with nanochelate. 119 An increase in drought resistance under the influence of Mn 3 O 4 NPs was shown for corn Zea mays L. Stimulation of biometric parameters, stimulation of cell mitosis, an increase in total protein content, as well as a decrease in H 2 O 2 and MDA levels were noted.…”

“…Ye et al reviewed the role of Mn and Mn NPs in plant resistance to abiotic stresses, but most of it was devoted not to the role of Mn NPs but to the influence of other forms of Mn. A number of studies demonstrated an increase in plant resistance to salinity − and drought under the influence of Mn NCs. − An increase in resistance, as a rule, was characterized by an increase in the biometric parameters of plants. The mechanisms of increasing plant resistance were associated with a decrease in oxidative stress and LP intensity, an increase in the amount of photosynthetic pigments and maintaining the stability of plant cell membranes.…”