Selenium and silica nanostructure-based recovery of strawberry plants subjected to drought stress (original) (raw)

Drought is an important environmental stress that has negative effects on plant growth leading to a reduction in yield. In this study, the positive role of nanoparticles of SiO2, Se, and Se/SiO2(SiO2-NPs, Se-NPs and Se/SiO2-NPs) has been investigated in modulating negative effects of drought on the growth and yield of strawberry plants. Spraying of solutions containing nanoparticles of SiO2, Se, and Se/SiO2(50 and 100 mg L−1) improved the growth and yield parameters of strawberry plants grown under normal and drought stress conditions (30, 60, and 100%FC). Plants treated with Se/SiO2(100 mg L−1) preserved more of their photosynthetic pigments compared with other treated plants and presented higher levels of key osmolytes such as carbohydrate and proline. This treatment also increased relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI) and water use efficiency (WUE). In addition, exogenous spraying of Se/SiO2increased drought tolerance through increasing the activity of anti...