Abstract
Globally, heavy metals especially arsenic (As) toxicity in staple crops like wheat has posed serious threats to human health, necessitating conducting fresh studies to find out biologically viable As toxicity mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of foliar-applied silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) at the tillering stage on the activation of physiological and antioxidant regulation in wheat to induce tolerance against varying As toxicity levels. The trial comprised two promising wheat cultivars (Anaaj and Ghazi) and five SiNPs regimes including 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 ppm doses against As toxicity levels of 0 and 25 ppm. The recorded findings depicted that SiNPs regimes significantly improved morphological characteristics such as root length, fresh and dry weight, as well as shoot length, and fresh and dry weight of wheat cultivars. Additionally, the levels of chlorophyll pigments, including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll contents, were significantly increased in SiNPs-treated plants, indicating improved photosynthetic activity. The enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), played a vital role in combating oxidative stress induced by As toxicity. Moreover, SiNPs application resulted in a significant reduction in As concentration in both leaves and roots, highlighting the ability of SiNPs to regulate the uptake and accumulation of arsenic and mitigate its toxic effects. In conclusion, the foliar application of SiNPs during the tillering stage of wheat effectively activated physiological and antioxidant regulation, leading to enhanced tolerance against As toxicity.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Data Availability
No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.
References
Bukhari MA, Ahmad Z, Ashraf MY et al (2021) Silicon mitigates drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through improving photosynthetic pigments biochemical and yield characters. Silicon 13:4757–4772. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-020-00797-4
Bukhari MA, Ahmad Z, Ashraf MY, et al (2020) Silicon mitigates drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through improving photosynthetic pigments, biochemical and yield characters. Silicon. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-020-00797-4
Akhtar N, Ilyas N, Arshad M, et al (2022) The impact of calcium, potassium, and boron application on the growth and yield characteristics of durum wheat under drought conditions. Agronomy 12: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081917
Ahmad Z, Waraich EA, Tariq RMS et al (2021) Foliar applied salicylic acid ameliorates water and salt stress by improving gas exchange and photosynthetic pigments in wheat. Pak J Bot 53:1553–1560. https://doi.org/10.30848/PJB2021-5(17)
Wasaya A, Rehman I, Mohi Ud Din A, et al (2022) Foliar application of putrescine alleviates terminal drought stress by modulating water status, membrane stability, and yield- related traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Front Plant Sci 13: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1000877
Ahmad Z, Waraich EA, Barutçular C, et al (2020) Enhancing drought tolerance in wheat through improving morphophysiological and antioxidants activities of plants by the supplementation of foliar silicon. Phyton (B Aires). https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2020.09143
Ahmad Z, Waraich EA, Akhtar S et al (2018) Physiological responses of wheat to drought stress and its mitigation approaches. Acta Physiol Plant 40:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-018-2651-6
Aurangzaib M, Ahmad Z, Jalil MI et al (2022) Foliar spray of silicon confers drought tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by enhancing morpho-physiological and antioxidant potential. Silicon 14:4793–4807. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-021-01271-5
Hoang AS, Cong HH, Shukanov VP et al (2022) Evaluation of metal nano-particles as growth promoters and fungi inhibitors for cereal crops. Chem Biol Technol Agric 9:12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40538-021-00277-w
Rashid U, Yasmin H, Hassan MN et al (2022) Drought-tolerant Bacillus megaterium isolated from semi-arid conditions induces systemic tolerance of wheat under drought conditions. Plant Cell Rep 41:549–569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-020-02640-x
Pan D, Huang G, Yi J et al (2022) Foliar application of silica nanoparticles alleviates arsenic accumulation in rice grain: co-localization of silicon and arsenic in nodes. Environ Sci Nano 9:1271–1281. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1en01132d
SilSarma R, Prakash P, Jangde S (2020) Toxic effects of various arsenic concentrations on germination and seedlings growth of wheat triticum aestivum l. J Exp Biol Agric Sci 8:134–139. https://doi.org/10.18006/2020.8(2).134.139
Shi GL, Li DJ, Wang YF et al (2019) Accumulation and distribution of arsenic and cadmium in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at different developmental stages. Sci Total Environ 667:532–539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.394
Cui J, Li Y, Jin Q, Li F (2020) Silica nanoparticles inhibit arsenic uptake into rice suspension cells: via improving pectin synthesis and the mechanical force of the cell wall. Environ Sci Nano 7:162–171. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9en01035a
Tripathi DK, Singh S, Singh VP, et al (2016) Silicon nanoparticles more efficiently alleviate arsenate toxicity than silicon in maize cultiver and hybrid differing in arsenate tolerance. Front Environ Sci 4.: https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2016.00046
Ali S, Rizwan M, Hussain A et al (2019) Silicon nanoparticles enhanced the growth and reduced the cadmium accumulation in grains of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Plant Physiol Biochem 140:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.04.041
Khan ZS, Rizwan M, Hafeez M et al (2019) Effects of silicon nanoparticles on growth and physiology of wheat in cadmium contaminated soil under different soil moisture levels. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27:4958–4968. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06673-y
Jia-Yi Y, Meng-Qiang S, Zhi-Liang C, et al (2022) Effect of foliage applied chitosan-based silicon nanoparticles on arsenic uptake and translocation in rice (Oryza sativa L.). J Hazard Mater 433: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128781
Younis AA, Khattab H, Emam MM (2020) Impacts of silicon and silicon nanoparticles on leaf ultrastructure and tapip1 and tanip2 gene expressions in heat stressed wheat seedlings. Biol Plant 64:343–352. https://doi.org/10.32615/bp.2020.030
Bansal K, Hooda V, Verma N, et al (2022) Stress Alleviation and crop improvement using silicon nanoparticles in agriculture: a review. Silicon 9–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-022-01755-y
González-Moscoso M, Martínez-Villegas N, Cadenas-Pliego G, Juárez-Maldonado A (2022) Effect of silicon nanoparticles on tomato plants exposed to two forms of inorganic arsenic. Agronomy 12.: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102366
Tripathi DK, Singh S, Singh VP et al (2017) Silicon nanoparticles more effectively alleviated UV-B stress than silicon in wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings. Plant Physiol Biochem 110:70–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.06.026
Shariati F, Poordeljoo T, Zanjanchi P (2020) The Acute Toxicity of SiO2 and Fe3O4 Nano-particles on Daphnia magna. Silicon 12:2941–2946. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-020-00393-6
Ahmed S, Iqbal M, Ahmad Z, et al (2023) Foliar application of silicon-based nanoparticles improve the adaptability of maize (Zea mays L.) in cadmium contaminated soils. Environ Sci Pollut Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25189-0
Farhangi-Abriz S, Torabian S (2018) Nano-silicon alters antioxidant activities of soybean seedlings under salt toxicity. Protoplasma 255:953–962. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-017-1202-0
Arnon DI (1949) Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts polyphenoloxidase in beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol 24:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.24.1.1
Aebi H (1984) Catalase in vitro. Methods in enzymology. Methods Enzymol 105:121–126
Chance B, Maehly AC (1955) [136] Assay of catalases and peroxidases. {black small square}. Methods Enzymol 2:764–775. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(55)02300-8
Beauchamp C, Fridovich I (1971) Superoxide dismutase: Improved assays and an assay applicable to acrylamide gels. Anal Biochem 44:276–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(71)90370-8
Nakano Y, Asada K (1981) Hydrogen peroxide is scavenged by ascorbate-specific peroxidase in spinach chloroplasts. Plant Cell Physiol 22:867–880. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.pcp.a076232
Murugaiyan V, Ali J, Mahender A, et al (2019) Mapping of genomic regions associated with arsenic toxicity stress in a backcross breeding populations of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Rice 12: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12284-019-0321-y
Steel RGD, Torrie JH (1962) Principles and procedures of statistics with special reference to the biological sciences. Inc Stat 11:170. https://doi.org/10.1002/bimj.19620040313
Avestan S, Ghasemnezhad M, Esfahani M, Byrt CS (2019) Application of nano-silicon dioxide improves salt stress tolerance in strawberry plants. Agronomy 9:1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9050246
Asgari F, Majd A, Jonoubi P, Najafi F (2018) Effects of silicon nanoparticles on molecular, chemical, structural and ultrastructural characteristics of oat (Avena sativa L.). Plant Physiol Biochem 127:152–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2018.03.021
González-Moscoso M, Juárez-Maldonado A, Cadenas-Pliego G et al (2022) Silicon nanoparticles decrease arsenic translocation and mitigate phytotoxicity in tomato plants. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29:34147–34163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17665-2
Naeem MA, Shabbir A, Imran M et al (2024) Silicon-nanoparticles loaded biochar for soil arsenic immobilization and alleviation of phytotoxicity in barley: Implications for human health risk. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31:23591–23609. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32580-y
Adrees M, Khan ZS, urRehman MZ et al (2022) Foliar spray of silicon nanoparticles improved the growth and minimized cadmium (Cd) in wheat under combined Cd and water-limited stress. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29:77321–77332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21238-2
Luyckx M, Hausman JF, Lutts S, Guerriero G (2017) Silicon and plants: Current knowledge and technological perspectives. Front Plant Sci 8:1–8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00411
Hossain MM, Khatun MA, Haque MN et al (2018) Silicon alleviates arsenic-induced toxicity in wheat through vacuolar sequestration and ROS scavenging. Int J Phytoremed 20:796–804. https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2018.1425669
Wang X, Jiang J, Dou F et al (2020) Simultaneous mitigation of arsenic and cadmium accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings by silicon oxide nanoparticles under different water management schemes. Paddy Water Environ 19:569–584. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10333-021-00855-6
Manzoor M, Abdalla MA, Hussain MA, Mühling KH (2024) Silicon-Selenium Interplay Imparts Cadmium Resistance in Wheat through an Up-Regulating Antioxidant System. Int J Mol Sci 25: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010387
Silva RF, Andreazza R, Da Ros C et al (2015) Growth of tropical tree species and absorption of copper in soil artificially contaminated. Br J Biol 75:119–125. https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.07114
Rizwan M, Ali S, Rehman MZ ur, et al (2021) Effects of nanoparticles on trace element uptake and toxicity in plants: A review. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 221: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112437
Azeez NA, Dash SS, Gummadi SN, Deepa VS (2021) Nano-remediation of toxic heavy metal contamination: Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]. Chemosphere 266:129204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129204
Abedin J, Cresser MS, Meharg AA et al (2002) Arsenic accumulation and metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Environ Sci Technol 36:962–968. https://doi.org/10.1021/es0101678
Seyfferth AL, Fendorf S (2012) Silicate mineral impacts on the uptake and storage of arsenic and plant nutrients in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Environ Sci Technol 46:13176–13183. https://doi.org/10.1021/es3025337
Kiany T, Pishkar L, Sartipnia N et al (2022) Effects of silicon and titanium dioxide nanoparticles on arsenic accumulation, phytochelatin metabolism, and antioxidant system by rice under arsenic toxicity. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29:34725–34737. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17927-z
Pailles Y, Awlia M, Julkowska M et al (2020) Diverse traits contribute to salinity tolerance of wild tomato seedlings from the galapagos islands. Plant Physiol 182:534–546. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.19.00700
McCabe GP, Sneath PHA, Sokal RR (1975) Numerical taxonomy: the principles and practice of numerical classification. J Am Stat Assoc 70:962. https://doi.org/10.2307/2285473
Sohail MI, Zia ur Rehman M, Rizwan M, et al (2020) Efficiency of various silicon rich amendments on growth and cadmium accumulation in field grown cereals and health risk assessment. Chemosphere 244.: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125481
Acknowledgment
This research work was funded by Institutional Fund Projects under grant no. (IFPIP: 737-130-1443). The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical and financial support provided by the Ministry of Education and King Abdulaziz University, DSR, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Funding
This work was funded by Institutional Fund Projects under grant no. (IFPIP: 737-130-1443), Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Conceptualization: Zahoor Ahmad, Rooma Younis, and Tanveer Ahmad.; Methodology, data collection, and original data analysis: Rooma Younis, and Zahoor Ahmad; Data presentation, writing: Zahoor Ahmad, Muhammad Aamir Iqbal, and Tanveer Ahmad; Reviewing and editing: Zahoor Ahmad, Arkadiusz Artyszak, Muhammad Aamir Iqbal, Yahya M. Alzahrani, Hesham F. Alharby and Hameed Alsamadany; funding acquisition: Zahoor Ahmad, Yahya M. Alzahrani, Hesham F. Alharby, Hameed Alsamadany. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
Not applicable, manuscript does not report on or involve the use of any animal or human data or tissue.
Consent to Participate
All authors participate in the preparation of the manuscript.
Consent for Publication
All authors give consent for the publication of the manuscript in Silicon.
Competing Interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Ahmad, Z., Younis, R., Ahmad, T. et al. Modulating Physiological and Antioxidant Responses in Wheat Cultivars via Foliar Application of Silicon Nanoparticles (SiNPs) Under Arsenic Stress Conditions. Silicon 16, 5199–5211 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-024-03078-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-024-03078-6