Impact of Selenium and Copper Nanoparticles on Yield, Antioxidant System, and Fruit Quality of Tomato Plants.

The effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on plants are contrasting; these depend on the model plant, the synthesis of the nanoparticles (concentration, size, shape), and the forms of application (foliar, substrate, seeds). For this reason, the objective of this study was to report the impact of different concentrations of selenium (Se) and copper (Cu) NPs on yield, antioxidant capacity, and quality of tomato fruit. The different concentrations of Se and Cu NPs were applied to the substrate every 15 days (five applications). The yield was determined until day 102 after the transplant. Non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant compounds were determined in the leaves and fruits as well as the fruit quality at harvest. The results indicate that tomato yield was increased by up to 21% with 10 mg L-1 of Se NPs. In leaves, Se and Cu NPs increased the content of chlorophyll, vitamin C, glutathione, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazolin-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and phenylalanine ammonia liasa (PAL). In fruits, they increased vitamin C, glutathione, flavonoids, firmness, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity. The combination of Se and Cu NPs at optimal concentrations could be a good alternative to improve tomato yield and quality, but more studies are needed to elucidate their effects more clearly.

Responses of Tomato Plants under Saline Stress to Foliar Application of Copper Nanoparticles.

The tomato crop has great economic and nutritional importance; however, it can be adversely affected by salt stress. The objective of this research is to quantify the agronomic and biochemical responses of tomato plants developed under salt stress with the foliar application of copper nanoparticles. Four treatments were evaluated: foliar application of copper nanoparticles (250 mg L-1) with or without salt stress (50 mM NaCl), salt stress, and an absolute control. Saline stress caused severe damage to the development of tomato plants; however, the damage was mitigated by the foliar application of copper nanoparticles, which increased performance and improved the Na+/K+ ratio. The content of Cu increased in the tissues of tomato plants under salinity with the application of Cu nanoparticles, which increased the phenols (16%) in the leaves and the content of vitamin C (80%), glutathione (GSH) (81%), and phenols (7.8%) in the fruit compared with the control. Similarly, the enzyme activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) increased in leaf tissue by 104%, 140%, 26%, 8%, and 93%, respectively. Foliar spraying of copper nanoparticles on tomatoes under salinity appears to induce stress tolerance to salinity by stimulating the plant's antioxidant mechanisms.

The Application of Selenium and Copper Nanoparticles Modifies the Biochemical Responses of Tomato Plants under Stress by Alternaria solani.

Early blight is a disease that greatly affects Solanaceae, mainly damaging tomato plants, and causing significant economic losses. Although there are methods of biological control, these are very expensive and often their mode of action is slow. Due to this, there is a need to use new techniques that allow a more efficient control of pathogens. Nanotechnology is a new alternative to solve these problems, allowing the creation of new tools for the treatment of diseases in plants, as well as the control of pathogens. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the foliar application of selenium and copper in the form of nanoparticles in a tomato crop infested by Alternaria solani. The severity of Alternaria solani, agronomic variables of the tomato crop, and the changes in the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds were evaluated. The joint application of Se and Cu nanoparticles decreases the severity of this pathogen in tomato plants. Moreover, high doses generated an induction of the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase in the leaves, and the enzyme GPX in the fruit. Regarding non-enzymatic compounds in the leaves, chlorophyll a, b, and totals were increased, whereas vitamin C, glutathione, phenols, and flavonoids were increased in fruits. The application of nanoparticles generated beneficial effects by increasing the enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds and decreasing the severity of Alternaria solani in tomato plants.

Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials as Plant Biostimulants.

Biostimulants are materials that when applied in small amounts are capable of promoting plant growth. Nanoparticles (NPs) and nanomaterials (NMs) can be considered as biostimulants since, in specific ranges of concentration, generally in small levels, they increase plant growth. Pristine NPs and NMs have a high density of surface charges capable of unspecific interactions with the surface charges of the cell walls and membranes of plant cells. In the same way, functionalized NPs and NMs, and the NPs and NMs with a corona formed after the exposition to natural fluids such as water, soil solution, or the interior of organisms, present a high density of surface charges that interact with specific charged groups in cell surfaces. The magnitude of the interaction will depend on the materials adhered to the corona, but high-density charges located in a small volume cause an intense interaction capable of disturbing the density of surface charges of cell walls and membranes. The electrostatic disturbance can have an impact on the electrical potentials of the outer and inner surfaces, as well as on the transmembrane electrical potential, modifying the activity of the integral proteins of the membranes. The extension of the cellular response can range from biostimulation to cell death and will depend on the concentration, size, and the characteristics of the corona.

Effects of Chitosan-PVA and Cu Nanoparticles on the Growth and Antioxidant Capacity of Tomato under Saline Stress.

Chitosan is a natural polymer, which has been used in agriculture to stimulate crop growth. Furthermore, it has been used for the encapsulation of nanoparticles in order to obtain controlled release. In this work, the effect of chitosan-PVA and Cu nanoparticles (Cu NPs) absorbed on chitosan-PVA on growth, antioxidant capacity, mineral content, and saline stress in tomato plants was evaluated. The results show that treatments with chitosan-PVA increased tomato growth. Furthermore, chitosan-PVA increased the content of chlorophylls a and b, total chlorophylls, carotenoids, and superoxide dismutase. When chitosan-PVA was mixed with Cu NPs, the mechanism of enzymatic defense of tomato plants was activated. The chitosan-PVA and chitosan-PVA + Cu NPs increased the content of vitamin C and lycopene, respectively. The application of chitosan-PVA and Cu NPs might induce mechanisms of tolerance to salinity.

Cu Nanoparticles in Hydrogels of Chitosan-PVA Affects the Characteristics of Post-Harvest and Bioactive Compounds of Jalapeño Pepper.

Peppers are consumed all over the world due to the flavor, aroma, and color that they add to food. Additionally, they play a role in human health, as they contain a high concentration of bioactive compounds and antioxidants. The treatments used were an absolute control, Cs-PVA, and four treatments with 0.02, 0.2, 2, and 10 mg (nCu) g-1 (Cs-PVA). The application of Cu nanoparticles in chitosan-PVA hydrogels increases the content of capsaicin by up to 51% compared to the control. This application also increases the content of antioxidants ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid)] and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), total phenols and flavonoids (4%, 6.6%, 5.9%, and 12.7%, respectively) in jalapeño pepper fruits stored for 15 days at room temperature; under refrigeration, it increases DPPH antioxidants, total phenols, and flavonoids (23.9%, 1.54%, and 17.2%, respectively). The application of Cu nanoparticles in chitosan-PVA hydrogels, even when applied to the substrate, not only has an effect on the development of the jalapeño pepper crop, but also modifies the post-harvest characteristics of the jalapeño pepper fruits.

Use of Chitosan-PVA Hydrogels with Copper Nanoparticles to Improve the Growth of Grafted Watermelon.

Modern agriculture requires alternative practices that improve crop growth without negatively affecting the environment, as resources such as water and arable land grow scarcer while the human population continues to increase. Grafting is a cultivation technique that allows the plant to be more efficient in its utilization of water and nutrients, while nanoscale material engineering provides the opportunity to use much smaller quantities of consumables compared to conventional systems but with similar or superior effects. On those grounds, we evaluated the effects of chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with absorbed copper nanoparticles (Cs-PVA-nCu) on leaf morphology and plant growth when applied to grafted watermelon cultivar 'Jubilee' plants. Stomatal density (SD), stomatal index (SI), stoma length (SL), and width (SW) were evaluated. The primary stem and root length, the stem diameter, specific leaf area, and fresh and dry weights were also recorded. Our results demonstrate that grafting induces modifications to leaf micromorphology that favorably affect plant growth, with grafted plants showing better vegetative growth in spite of their lower SD and SI values. Application of Cs-PVA-nCu was found to increase stoma width, primary stem length, and root length by 7%, 8% and 14%, respectively. These techniques modestly improve plant development and growth.

Antibacterial activity of chitosan and the interpolyelectrolyte complexes of poly(acrylic acid)-chitosan

The antimicrobial activity of chitosan and water soluble interpolyelectrolyte complexes of poly(acrylic acid)-chitosan was studied. Chitosans of two different molecular weights were tested at different concentration for 0.5 to 5 g·L-1 as antimicrobial agents against P. aeruginosa and P. oleovorans. In both cases, the best microbial inhibition was obtained with the concentration of 5 g·L-1. However, the interpolyelectrolyte complexes of poly(acrylic acid)-chitosan with composition φ =2 produced higher antibacterial activity than the two chitosans at the concentration of 0.5 g·L-1. The NPEC2 complex was more effective than chitosans. This could be attributed to the number of moles of the amino groups of chitosan and the carboxylic acid groups of the interpolyelectrolyte complexes poly(acrylic acid).

A atividade antimicrobiana de quitosana e complexos interpolieletrolíticos hidrossoluvéis de poli(ácido acrílico)-quitosana foi estudada. Quitosanas de dois diferentes pesos moleculares foram testados em diferentes concentrações, 0,5 a 5 g • L-1, como agentes antimicrobianos nas P. aeruginosa e P. oleovorans. Em ambos os casos, obteu-se a melhor inibição microbiana com a concentração de 5 g • L-1, no entanto os complexos interpolieletrolíticos de poli (ácido acrílico)-quitosana com composição φ = 2 apresentaram maior atividade antibacteriana do que os dois quitosans na concentração de 0,5 g • L-1. O complexo NPEC2 foi mais eficaz do que as quitosanas, sendo que o resultado pode ser atribuído ao número de moles dos grupos aminos da quitosana e aos grupos carboxílicos dos complexos de poli(ácido acrílico).