Impact of silicon dioxide nanoparticles on growth, photosynthetic pigments, proline, activities of defense enzymes and some bacterial and fungal pathogens of tomato

• Published in: Vegetos - International journal of plant research 2022-03, Vol.35 (1), p.83-93
• Main Authors: Parveen, Aiman, Siddiqui, Zaki Anwar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant Physiology
• ISSN: 2229-4473; 2229-4473
• DOI: 10.1007/s42535-021-00280-4

The effects of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO 2 NPs) in two concentrations (0.10 and 0.20 gL − 1 ) as foliar spray and seed priming was observed on plant growth attributes, chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline, activities of defense enzymes of tomato and on bacterial pathogens i.e. Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato ( Pst ), Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria ( Xcv ), Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum ( Pcc ) and Ralstonia solanacearum ( Rs ), and fungal pathogens i.e. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici ( Fol ) and Alternaria solani ( As ) under in vitro and greenhouse conditions. Disease suppression and increase in plant growth was dependent on concentration of NPs and mode of application. Foliar spray was more effective than seed priming in increasing plant growth, chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline and activities of defense enzymes i.e. superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) in the presence and absence of pathogens. Foliar spray of 0.20 gL − 1 SiO 2 NPs caused highest increase in plant growth parameters, chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline and activities of defense enzymes in tomato plants and caused maximum reduction in disease indices. In vitro tests and scanning electron microscopy revealed antimicrobial effects of SiO 2 NPs with varied adverse effects on pathogens under study. Plants subjected to foliar spray with 0.20 gL − 1 SiO 2 NPs had more plant growth attributes, chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline and defense enzymes against pathogens under study.