Foliar-applied silicon and selenium nanoparticles modulated salinity stress through modifying yield, biochemical attribute, and fatty acid profile of Physalis alkekengi L

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2023-09, Vol.30 (45), p.100513-100525
• Main Authors: Abdi, Mohammad Javad, Ghanbari Jahromi, Marzieh, Mortazavi, Seyed Najmmaddin, Kalateh Jari, Sepideh, Nazarideljou, Mohammad Javad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Acidity; Agricultural production; agricultural productivity; Anthocyanins; antioxidant activity; Aquatic Pollution; Ascorbic acid; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Chlorophyll; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; fatty acid composition; Fatty Acids; foliar application; Foliar applications; fruit weight; Fruits; Leaves; Multivariate analysis; Nanoparticles; Phenols; Physalis - drug effects; Physalis alkekengi; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant Leaves - drug effects; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Research Article; Saline water; Salinity; Salinity effects; Salinity tolerance; Salt Stress; Salts; Selenium; Silicon; Silicon - pharmacology; Sodium chloride; Soil salinity; Spraying; titratable acidity; Titration; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Weight
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29450-4

Soil salinity is a major environmental problem owing to its negative impact on agricultural productivity and sustainability. Nanoparticles (NPs) have recently been highlighted for their ability to alleviate salinity stress. The current study aimed to alleviate salt stress by using silicon (Si) and selenium (Se) NPs on the growth and physiological attributes of Physalis alkekengi L. Plants were irrigated with saline water at 50, 100, and 200 mM NaCl, and Si NPs (200 mg L −1 ) and Se NPs (50 mg L −1 ) were sprayed on leaves three times in a pot experiment in 2022. Leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content, antioxidant capacity, and fatty acid (FA) profile of fruits were measured to find the effects of NPs and salinity in the plants. Salinity at 50 mM did not significantly differ from the control, but at 100–200 mM, salt stress had a substantial impact on the majority of traits. Compared with non-saline conditions, 200 mM NaCl led to decreases in shoot weight (40%), fruit weight (30%), Chl a (30%), Chl b (39%), anthocyanin (31%), ascorbic acid (16%), total phenolic content (TPC, 11%) but increases in total soluble solids (TSS, 79%), titration acidity (TA, 17%), and TSS/TA (52%) in plants without spraying the NPs. However, Si and Se NPs modulated salinity stress by increasing shoot and fruit weight, Chl content, anthocyanin, and TPC, and with decreasing TSS and TSS/TA. Salinity elevated polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and lowered monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). According to multivariate analysis, 50 mM and control were found to be in the same cluster, whereas 100 and 200 mM were shown to be in different clusters. Foliar application of Si and Se NPs at 200 and 50 mg L −1 , respectively, can be recommended for mitigating salt stress at 100–200 mM NaCl in  P. alkekengi  L. Plants. Farmers can use the findings to increase the ability of Si and Se NPs to protect plants against salt.