Drought Impact Is Alleviated in Sugar Beets (Beta vulgaris L.) by Foliar Application of Fullerenol Nanoparticles

Abstract

Over the past few years, significant efforts have been made to decrease the effects of drought stress on plant productivity and quality. We propose that fullerenol nanoparticles (FNPs, molecular formula C60(OH)24) may help alleviate drought stress by serving as an additional intercellular water supply. Specifically, FNPs are able to penetrate plant leaf and root tissues, where they bind water in various cell compartments. This hydroscopic activity suggests that FNPs could be beneficial in plants. The aim of the present study was to analyse the influence of FNPs on sugar beet plants exposed to drought stress. Our results indicate that intracellular water metabolism can be modified by foliar application of FNPs in drought exposed plants. Drought stress induced a significant increase in the compatible osmolyte proline in both the leaves and roots of control plants, but not in FNP treated plants. These results indicate that FNPs could act as intracellular binders of water, creating an additional water reserve, and enabling adaptation to drought stress. Moreover, analysis of plant antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, APx and GPx), MDA and GSH content indicate that fullerenol foliar application could have some beneficial effect on alleviating oxidative effects of drought stress, depending on the concentration of nanoparticles applied. Although further studies are necessary to elucidate the biochemical impact of FNPs on plants; the present results could directly impact agricultural practice, where available water supplies are often a limiting factor in plant bioproductivity.

Fullerol C60(OH)24 Nanoparticles Affect Secondary Metabolite Profile of Important Foodborne Mycotoxigenic Fungi In Vitro

“…Thus, results of TEM, DLS and ζ potential indicate that the prepared FNP water solution is a stable polyanionic system mostly composed of clusters with sizes less than 100 nm. These results are in accordance with our previously published results and EC Recommendation for the definition of the term "nanomaterial" [10,12,[31][32][33][34].…”

Seed Pre-treatment with Polyhydroxy Fullerene Nanoparticles Confer Salt Tolerance in Wheat Through Upregulation of H2O2 Neutralizing Enzymes and Phosphorus Uptake

“…Here as well, PHF seed invigoration also improved the enzymatic antioxidant activities of CAT, POD, and APX. Consistent with these findings, the application of PHF as foliar spray increased the activities of CAT, APX, GPX, and GST antioxidant enzymes linked with H 2 O 2 detoxification (Borišev et al 2016). Further, PHFmediated improvements in SOD and CAT activities among maize seedlings were also reported (Liu et al 2016).…”

“…In contrast, the evidence of PHF involvement in abiotic stress tolerance of plants is yet to be elucidated. So far, exogenous PHF-mediated drought tolerance in Beta vulgaris L. (Borišev et al 2016) and Brassica napus L. (Xiong et al 2018) is reported. In this study, salinity caused reduction in Chl a, b and total Chl.…”

“…Salinity also caused increase in ascorbic acid and soluble sugars while reduced amino acids. Of limited reports, PHFmediated accumulation of soluble sugars has been reported in Beta vulgaris under water-limited growth conditions (Borišev et al 2016). The retention of compatible osmolytes like soluble sugars, proline, and other free amino acids is linked with better osmotic adjustments under salinity (Flowers and Colmer 2008;Shafiq et al 2018).…”

“…On the other hand, PHF are carbon nanoparticles which exhibit remarkable electron-scavenging properties (Andrievsky et al 2005;Sachkova et al 2017). Recently involvement of PHF in drought tolerance of sugar beet (Borišev et al 2016) and Brassica napus (Xiong et al 2018) explained on the basis of improvements in oxidative stress tolerance and abcisic acid. Since high Na + concentrations ultimately disturb cellular redox status, it will be interesting to investigate how the leaf tissue ion homeostasis responds to external supply of synthetic antioxidant.…”