Ascorbate Supplementation: A Blessing in Disguise for Tomato Seedlings Exposed to NiO Nanoparticles

Sofia Spormann, Filipa Sousa, Fátima Oliveira, Vasco Ferreira, Bárbara Teixeira, Cláudia Pereira, Cristiano Soares () and Fernanda Fidalgo
Additional contact information
Sofia Spormann: GreenUPorto-Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/Inov4Agro, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Filipa Sousa: GreenUPorto-Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/Inov4Agro, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Fátima Oliveira: Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Vasco Ferreira: Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Bárbara Teixeira: CIC-Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos, Rua do Padrão 83, 4415-284 Carvalhos, Portugal
Cláudia Pereira: GreenUPorto-Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/Inov4Agro, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Cristiano Soares: GreenUPorto-Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/Inov4Agro, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Fernanda Fidalgo: GreenUPorto-Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/Inov4Agro, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: While nanomaterials offer wide-ranging solutions, their intensified use causes environmental contamination, posing ecotoxicological risks to several organisms, including plants. It becomes important to understand the phytotoxicity of NMs and find sustainable strategies to enhance plant tolerance to these emerging contaminants. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of ascorbic acid (AsA) in increasing the tolerance of in vitro grown tomato seedlings to nickel oxide nanomaterials (nano-NiO). Seeds of Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro-Tom were germinated in culture medium containing 30 mg/L nano-NiO, 150 mg/L AsA, or a combination of both. A control situation was included. Surprisingly, single AsA administration in the medium impaired the growth of tomato seedlings and increased the lipid peroxidation of biomembranes. Nonetheless, plant development was more severely repressed by nano-NiO, with evident macroscopic effects that did not translate into serious redox disorders. Still, proline and AsA levels diminished in response to nano-NiO, while glutathione and phenols increased. Despite the negative effects of AsA on non-stressed plants, nano-NiO-induced stress was counteracted by AsA supply, with enhanced levels of glutathione and phenols. Overall, the supplementation with AsA proved to be a “blessing in disguise” for plants under nano-NiO-induced stress, improving antioxidant capacity and activating other defense mechanisms.

Keywords: nanomaterials; ascorbic acid; Solanum lycopersicum L.; axidative stress; antioxidant system (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: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
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