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Abscisic Acid-Loaded ZnO Nanoparticles as Drought Tolerance Inducers in Zea mays L. with Physiological and Biochemical Attributes

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Abstract

This research aimed toward bioengineering of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using Rosa canina L. aqueous extract followed by conjugation with Abscisic acid (ABA) for inducing drought-tolerant properties in Zea mays L under water stress. The impact of six different treatments using seed imbibition (SI) and foliar spray (FS) methods upon physio-morphological and biochemical properties of Z. mays L. was studied. These included ABA-SI, ABA-FS, ABA-ZnO-SI, ABA-ZnO-FS, ZnO-SI, and ZnO-FS, drought control (DC), and untreated healthy control (HC). Both ZnO and ABA-ZnO NPs showed distinct UV–Visible peaks at 438 nm and 339 nm with mean sizes of 20.17 nm and 14.05 nm, respectively. Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive X-ray identified 60.14% Zn in ZnO NPs with irregular surface topology and 56.72% Zn in ABA-ZnO NPs with semi-cylindrical morphology. Among treated maize plants, ABA-ZnO-SI displayed prominent results with increased root length (32.89 ± 1.25 cm), relative water content (20.4 ± 2.9%), total chlorophyll content [10.73 ± 0.18 mgg−1 Fresh weight (FW)], carotenoid content (190.4 ± 0.56 mg g−1 FW), cob length (27.94 ± 1.32 cm), cob weight (25.64 ± 0.42 g), and short anthesis-silking interval (3 days). Stomatal opening (0.95 ± 0.24%) and leaf damage index (29.86 ± 0.19%) were reduced in ABA-ZnO-SI treatment compared to DC. A significant amount of proline (4.40 ± 0.01 µmoles g−1 FW) with reduced lipid peroxidation (0.24 ± 0.02-mM malondialdehyde) and highest antioxidant activities (IC50: 332.8 ± 0.46 µg/ml) with maximum levels of catalase (2.87 ± 0.05 Uml−1), ascorbate peroxidase (3.41 ± 0.02 Uml−1), and guaiacol peroxidase (3.10 ± 0.06 Uml−1) were observed in ABA-ZnO-SI-treated plants. Given the promising outcomes, current research work has brought forward a potential drought tolerance treatment for Z. mays L. which might serve as productive agricultural progress in upcoming years.

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This research was funded by institutional research funds and the authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbiology and Biotechnology Research Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Fatima **nah Women University, the Mall, Rawalpindi, 46000, Punjab, Pakistan

    Amara Fatima, Naila Safdar, Noor-ul Ain & Azra Yasmin

  2. Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

    Gul-e-Saba Chaudhry

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  1. Amara Fatima
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  2. Naila Safdar
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Contributions

AF participated in the investigation, methodology, formal analysis, and writing of the manuscript. NS participated in the conceptualization, methodology, supervision, validation, and writing, reviewing, & editing of the manuscript. N-u A participated in the investigation, writing, reviewing, & editing of the manuscript, and formal analysis. AY participated in the project administration and validation. GC participated in the investigation and formal analysis. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Naila Safdar.

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Fatima, A., Safdar, N., Ain, Nu. et al. Abscisic Acid-Loaded ZnO Nanoparticles as Drought Tolerance Inducers in Zea mays L. with Physiological and Biochemical Attributes. J Plant Growth Regul 42, 7280–7293 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-11016-w

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