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Nano-silicon protects sugar beet plants against water deficit stress by improving the antioxidant systems and compatible solutes

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Abstract

Silicon (Si) can mitigate the deleterious impacts of various types of stresses on field crops. However, the potential of nano-silicon (nano-Si) in improving water stress and the relevant mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, here, we examined the combined impacts of nano-Si and various irrigation regimes on antioxidant systems, osmolytes, photosynthesis-related parameters, and growth of sugar beet in a field trial. Treatments included three supplemental irrigation rates (I1, I2, and I3) arranged based on the crop evapotranspiration (100% ETC, 75% ETC, and 50% ETC) and three doses of nano-Si: 0, 1, and 2 mM. Irrigation regime treatments were performed at the six-to eight-leaf stage (49 days after sowing), which continued until the harvest (180 days after sowing). Water stress brought about a detrimental impact on the sugar beet growth, the relative water content of leaves (LRWC), leaf area index (LAI), and photosynthetic performance. In contrast, Water deficiency enhanced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, which were followed by increasing antioxidant activities and osmolytes. Supplementation of nano-Si at low dose (1 mM) significantly increased chlorophyll contents, net photosynthesis (PN), glycine betaine (GB), flavonols (quercetin and rutin), and enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and guaiacol peroxidase). Furthermore, nano-Si at low dose (1 mM) decreased the amount of H2O2 and MDA. Instead, the higher dose (2 mM) of nano-Si exerted toxic effects on severe water-stressed (50% ETC) plants. The parallel increase in MDA and proline contents in sugar beet plants treated with two mM nano-Si along with severe water stress supports the view that proline augmentation presumably is a sign of stress injury instead of stress resistance. Overall, our results imply that nano-Si can play a protecting role in sugar beet plants during water stress by enhancing antioxidants, GB, and flavonols (quercetin and rutin). However, the concentration of nano-Si must be chosen with care.

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Abbreviations

Si:

Silicon

Nano-Si:

Nano-silicon

LAI:

Leaf area index

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

GPX:

Guaiacol peroxidase

CAT:

Catalase

PN :

Net photosynthesis

LRWC:

Relative water content of leaves

T :

Transpiration

g s :

Stomatal conductance

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Grant number 1, Tehran, Iran for its financial support. We acknowledge the Sugar Beet Seed Institute (SBSI, Karaj, Iran) for the organization of field trials and the donation of fertilizers and seeds. The authors would like to gratefully appreciate Dr. Shahram Namjoyan, Babak Babaei, Hamid Noshad, and Dr. Samar Khayamim for their excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, PO Box 14115-336, Tehran, Iran

    Shahrokh Namjoyan, Ali Sorooshzadeh & Majid Aghaalikhani

  2. Department of Plant Breeding, Sugar Beet Seed Institute (SBSI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj, Iran

    Abazar Rajabi

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  1. Shahrokh Namjoyan
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  2. Ali Sorooshzadeh
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  4. Majid Aghaalikhani
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Correspondence to Ali Sorooshzadeh.

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Namjoyan, S., Sorooshzadeh, A., Rajabi, A. et al. Nano-silicon protects sugar beet plants against water deficit stress by improving the antioxidant systems and compatible solutes. Acta Physiol Plant 42, 157 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-020-03137-6

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