A recent study by Rezayian, Niknam, and Arabloo (2023) has illuminated the potential of iron nanoparticles (NPs) in enhancing drought tolerance in canola plants, revealing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
The delivery of nutrients in nanoparticle form represents an efficient way of supplying essential elements to plants, especially under stress conditions. The researchers aimed to investigate the impact of iron NP on drought-stricken canola plants and uncover the mechanisms that facilitate increased tolerance to this adverse condition.
The researchers induced drought stress in canola plants using different concentrations of polyethylene glycol, with or without iron NP supplementation. They observed various physiological and biochemical parameters under these conditions to understand the role of iron NPs.
Under drought stress, the canola plants exhibited reduced growth. However, iron NP treatments broadly stimulated the growth of these stressed plants, bolstering their defense mechanisms. The study’s data revealed that iron NP could effectively regulate the plant’s osmotic potential by increasing the content of protein, proline, and soluble sugars – all critical factors for plant survival under drought conditions.
Iron NP treatment also enhanced the plant’s defense system by activating catalase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes and promoting non-enzymatic antioxidants such as phenol, flavonol, and flavonoid. These responses helped to mitigate free radicals and lipid peroxidation, ultimately improving the plant’s membrane stability and drought tolerance.
Further benefits of iron NP included increased chlorophyll accumulation and the induction of key enzymes involved in the Krebs cycle, namely succinate dehydrogenase, and aconitase. This enhancement suggests that iron NP can effectively stimulate plant metabolic processes, contributing to improved stress tolerance.
These findings offer a comprehensive view of iron NP’s role in mitigating drought stress, from regulating respiratory and antioxidant enzymes to managing the production of reactive oxygen species, osmoregulation, and secondary metabolites metabolism. Thus, iron nanoparticles could present an innovative solution to help canola and potentially other crops better withstand drought conditions, which are expected to increase due to climate change.
Photo by Grant Durr on Unsplash
