Selenium and silica nanostructure-based recovery of strawberry plants subjected to drought stress

Abstract

Drought is an important environmental stress that has negative effects on plant growth leading to a reduction in yield. In this study, the positive role of nanoparticles of SiO2, Se, and Se/SiO2 (SiO2-NPs, Se-NPs and Se/SiO2-NPs) has been investigated in modulating negative effects of drought on the growth and yield of strawberry plants. Spraying of solutions containing nanoparticles of SiO2, Se, and Se/SiO2 (50 and 100 mg L−1) improved the growth and yield parameters of strawberry plants grown under normal and drought stress conditions (30, 60, and 100%FC). Plants treated with Se/SiO2 (100 mg L−1) preserved more of their photosynthetic pigments compared with other treated plants and presented higher levels of key osmolytes such as carbohydrate and proline. This treatment also increased relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI) and water use efficiency (WUE). In addition, exogenous spraying of Se/SiO2 increased drought tolerance through increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as decreasing lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content. Increase in biochemical parameters of fruits such as anthocyanin, total phenolic compounds (TPC), vitamin C and antioxidant activity (DPPH) in strawberry plants treated with Se/SiO2 under drought stress revealed the positive effects of these nanoparticles in improving fruit quality and nutritional value. In general, our results supported the positive effect of the application of selenium and silicon nanoparticles, especially the absolute role of Se/SiO2 (100 mg L−1), on the management of harmful effects of soil drought stress not only in strawberry plants, but also in other agricultural crops.

Silicon alleviates salinity stress in licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) by regulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism

“…Thus, adding Si at an optimal concentration in favor of C and N metabolism can be carried out normally under salt stress and establish a foundation to obtain excellent characteristics of G. uralensis. Si is beneficial mostly for higher plants, especially under stressful environments, and the addition of Si to the growth medium resulted in significantly higher Si accumulation in plant tissues observed a significant decrease in Si content of tomato roots under salt stress, indicating that salt stress significantly affected the accumulation of Si 22,58,59 . The experiment was conducted to determine Si accumulation in different parts of G. uralensis primarily to determine the distribution of Si in plants.…”

“…Recently, the progresses and mechanisms of Si in alleviating various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants have been systematically reviewed by several researchers. Hence, an alternative strategy of Si supplementation to overcome the negative effects of salinity in plants can be considered as a valuable approach 22 , 23 . Although our understanding of the role of Si in abiotic stress resistance is still limited, there have been many important advances in its ability to alleviate salt and water stress, metal toxicity, and other adverse effects on plants 24 – 26 .…”

Silicon dioxide-nanoparticle nutrition mitigates salinity in gerbera by modulating ion accumulation and antioxidants

“…The SiO 2 -NPs properties are illustrated in Table 2. The size and type of nanoparticles used were selected based on the positive results of previous experiments (Zahedi et al, 2020b); indeed, the smaller NPs can enter into plant cells easily (Hossain et al, 2015). In addition, the Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of mesoporous silica particles (sample NNV-001) synthesised by Nanosany Corporation are illustrated in Figure 2.…”

Mechanisms of Chitosan Nanoparticles in the Regulation of Cold Stress Resistance in Banana Plants

“…Indeed, nanoparticle (NP) compounds may have a significant impact on sustainable agriculture and the development of precision agriculture by maximizing agricultural output (i.e., crop yields) and minimizing inputs (i.e., fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides) via control of environmental conditions and the application of proper management [16]. NPs have properties distinct from those of bulk materials due to their small size and larger surface area which, as a result, mean that their solubility and surface reactivity are higher [17][18][19][20].…”