Nano‐silicon dioxide mitigates the adverse effects of salt stress on Cucurbita pepo L

Abstract

Research into nanotechnology, an emerging science, has advanced in almost all fields of technology. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of nano-silicon dioxide (nano-SiO2 ) in plant resistance to salt stress through improvement of the antioxidant system of squash (Cucurbita pepo L. cv. white bush marrow). Seeds treated with NaCl showed reduced germination percentage, vigor, length, and fresh and dry weights of the roots and shoots. However, nano-SiO2 improved seed germination and growth characteristics by reducing malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide levels as well as electrolyte leakage. In addition, application of nano-SiO2 reduced chlorophyll degradation and enhanced the net photosynthetic rate (Pn ), stomatal conductance (gs ), transpiration rate, and water use efficiency. The increase in plant germination and growth characteristics through application of nano-SiO2 might reflect a reduction in oxidative damage as a result of the expression of antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and ascorbate peroxidase. These results indicate that nano-SiO2 may improve defense mechanisms of plants against salt stress toxicity by augmenting the Pn , gs , transpiration rate, water use efficiency, total chlorophyll, proline, and carbonic anhydrase activity in the leaves of plants.

Synergetic Effects of Zinc, Boron, Silicon, and Zeolite Nanoparticles on Confer Tolerance in Potato Plants Subjected to Salinity

“…Hussein et al [27] affirmed that addition of nano-SiO 2 to salt stressed tomato improved leaf proline accumulation. Similar results in squash were reported by [28] as well. Moreover, the use of ZnO.Fe 3 O 4 was reported to increase proline contents in Moringa peregrina under salinity [81].…”

Improving the Salinity Tolerance in Potato (Solanum tuberosum) by Exogenous Application of Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles

“…In other studies the application of Si-NPs increased the rate of photosynthesis, mesophyll conductance and plant water use efficiency of plants under saline stress (Tuna et al, 2008;Haghighi and Pessarakli, 2013;Almutari, 2016). In previous reports, the identical alleviation of the adverse effects of salt stress was also observed with SiO 2 -NPs treatment with reduced degradation of chlorophyll and increased net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and water use efficiency (Siddiqui et al, 2014).…”

Response of Salt-Stressed Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) to Potassium Humate Treatment and Potassium Silicate Foliar Application

“…Application of silicon decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes under salinity stress; this is associated with decreasing of electrolyte leakage, ROS synthesis and H 2 O 2 contents (Siddiqui et al, 2014 andShahid et al, 2015). More or fewer data were reported by Abbas et al (2015) that foliar application of silicon (150 mgL −1 ), decreased lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant enzymes activities in both leaves and root of okra under salt stress.Similar studies showed that siliconmediated enhancement in antioxidant enzyme activities and decreased in oxidative stress in saltstressed tomato plants grown in sand culture (Li et al, 2015).…”