Efficiency of Using Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles to Increase Wheat Productivity in Soil and Climatic Conditions of Western Siberia

• Published in: BioNanoScience 2024, Vol.14 (4), p.4633-4643
• Main Authors: Tereshchenko, N. N., Makarov, B. I., Kravets, A. V., Lushchaeva, I. V., Minaeva, O. M., Svetlichnyi, V. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and Medical Physics; Biomaterials; Biophysics; Circuits and Systems; Climatic conditions; Crop yield; Disease control; Disease resistance; Engineering; Fusarium oxysporum; Germination; Inoculation; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Plant layout; Planting; Productivity; Root rot; Seed germination; Seeds; Silicon dioxide; Soil investigations; Wheat
• ISSN: 2191-1630; 2191-1649
• DOI: 10.1007/s12668-024-01313-3

In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of silica nanoparticle (SiO 2 NP) suspension for pre-sowing inoculation of spring wheat seeds under soil and climatic conditions of the Western Siberia. We report that SiO 2 NP suspension at concentrations of 3 × 10 −7 % to 3 × 10 −4 % does not have a toxic effect on the culture of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and spring wheat. On the contrary, seed inoculation with nanoparticles increased seed germination by 15–40% relative to the control. The green mass yield of wheat seedlings exposed to SiO 2 NPs also increased by 5–41% relative to the control. In field experiments, pre-sowing treatment of spring wheat with SiO 2 NPs at concentrations of 3.0 × 10 −4 %, 1.5 × 10 −4 %, and 0.3 × 10 −4 % increased the main morphometric parameters of plants, such as height and green mass. Seed inoculation with SiO 2 NPs improved plant productivity: the grain yield in the variant with the minimum (0.3 × 10 −4 %) and average (1.5 × 10 −4 %) concentrations of SiO 2 NPs grew by 20.1% and 18.4%, respectively. Plants inoculated with SiO 2 NPs showed higher resistance to root rot pathogens ( Fusarium oxysporum and Bipolaris sorokiniana ): the disease prevalence decreased by 16–33% and the disease incidence index grew by 7–14% relative to the control. Seed inoculation with SiO 2 NPs increased the content of protein and important biogenic elements such as potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, and silicon in the grain.