Impact of Ag Nanoparticles on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Green Beans in Normal and Chill Temperatures

Roman Prażak, Agata Święciło, Anna Krzepiłko, Sławomir Michałek and Marta Arczewska
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Roman Prażak: Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, St. Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Agata Święciło: Department of Environmental Microbiology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, St. Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland
Anna Krzepiłko: Faculty of Food Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, St. Skromna 8, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Sławomir Michałek: Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Environmental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, St. Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Marta Arczewska: Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Environmental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: The study analysed the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on seed germination, field emergence and the physiological parameters of seedlings of two bean cultivars, ‘Bali’ and ‘Delfina’, under normal and chill temperatures. AgNPs solutions (0.25, 1.25 and 2.5 mg dm −3 ) were applied together with the microbial preparation Nitragina (containing Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli ) on seeds as a short-term pre-sowing treatment. Low concentrations of AgNPs (0.25, 1.25 mg dm −3 ) had an immediate beneficial effect, resulting in fast and uniform germination in laboratory and field conditions, as well as a positive effect in the later stages of seedling development, manifested as an increase in the average seedling height, fresh and dry weight and net photosynthesis. Particularly, favourable effects were noted in suboptimal temperature conditions, suggesting that AgNPs activate plant mechanisms of tolerance to environmental stress. The highest concentration tested of AgNPs was not particularly effective for the plants but had a strong antimicrobial effect, which was beneficial in period of seed germination, but at the later stage of plant development was unfavourable probably due to disruption of symbiosis between the bean seedlings and rhizobia.

Keywords: AgNPs; green bean; chilling stress; root nodules; plant growth; photosynthesis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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