Abiotic stresses in plants reduce crop growth and productivity. Nanoparticles (NPs) are effectively involved in the physiochemical processes of crop plants, especially under the abiotic stresses; whereas, less information is available regarding the role of AgNPs in salt-stressed plants. Therefore, in the current study, we investigated the effects of seed priming with commercially available silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) (size range between 50 and 100 nm) on plant morphology, physiology, and antioxidant defence system of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) under different concentrations of salt stress (0, 120 and 150 mM NaCl). The seed priming with AgNPs at different levels (0, 10, 20 and 30 mM) mitigated the adverse impacts of salt stress and improved plant growth and defence system. The results demonstrated that salt-stressed plants had restricted growth and a noticeable decline in fresh and dry weight. Salt stress enhanced the oxidative damage by excessive production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in pearl millet leaves. However, seed priming with AgNPs significantly improved the plant height growth related attributes, relative water content, proline contents and ultimately fresh and dry weight at 20 mM AgNPs alone or with salt stress. The AgNPs reduced the oxidative damage by improving antioxidant enzyme activities in the pearl millet leaves under salt stress. Furthermore, sodium (Na⁺) and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio was decreased and potassium (K⁺) increased by NPs, and the interactive effects between salt and AgNPs significantly impacted the total phenolic and flavonoid content in pearl millet. It was concluded that seed priming with AgNPs could enhance salinity tolerance in crop plants by enhancing physiological and biochemical responses. This might boost global crop production in salt-degraded lands.

植物中的非生物胁迫降低了作物的生长和生产力。纳米颗粒（NPs）有效地参与了农作物的生理化学过程，特别是在非生物胁迫下。然而，关于AgNP在盐胁迫植物中的作用的信息很少。因此，在当前的研究中，我们研究了使用市售的银纳米颗粒（AgNPs）（大小范围在50和100 nm之间）引发对珍珠小米（Pennisetum glaucum）的植物形态，生理学和抗氧化防御系统的影响。L.）在不同浓度的盐胁迫下（0、120和150 mM NaCl）。用不同水平（0、10、20和30 mM）的AgNPs引发的种子减轻了盐胁迫的不利影响，并改善了植物的生长和防御系统。结果表明，盐胁迫植物的生长受到限制，鲜重和干重明显下降。盐胁迫通过过量产生过氧化氢（H ₂ O _2）增强了氧化损伤。），珍珠小米叶片中的丙二醛（MDA）含量。然而，使用AgNPs引发种子可以显着改善与植物高度生长相关的属性，相对水含量，脯氨酸含量，并最终改善单独或含盐胁迫下20 mM AgNPs的鲜重和干重。AgNPs通过改善盐胁迫下珍珠小米叶片中的抗氧化酶活性来减少氧化损伤。此外，钠（Na ⁺）和Na ⁺ / K ^+的比例降低，钾（K ⁺NPs会增加），而盐和AgNPs之间的相互作用会显着影响珍珠小米中总酚和类黄酮的含量。结论是，用AgNPs引发种子可以通过增强生理和生化响应来增强农作物的耐盐性。这可能会促进盐碱化土地上的全球农作物产量。