Biochemical Role of Some Nanoparticles to Counteract Heat Stress in Wheat

Abstract

It is well known that, application of nanotechnology in the agriculture sector has promising achievements in the near future. Through that, utilization of biocompatible NPs as a new approach to counteract heat stress of wheat that might increase yield quantity and quality was used. The well designed, prepared and characterized biocompatible NPs concentrations and size were Cu NPs <50 nm (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0 and 10ppm), ZnO NPs <100 nm (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0 and 10 ppm), Fe3O4 <50 nm (0.50, 0.75, 1.0 and 10 ppm) and conjugation between SA (100ppm) and Fe3O4 <50 nm (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0 and 10 ppm) as well as tap water as a control. The NPs' treatments were applied to two wheat cultivars Sids1 (heat tolerant) and Gemmeiza7 (heat sensitive). Two consecutive seasons were carried out during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 at Agricultural Experimental Station of Desert Research Center (DRC) located in El Kharga Oasis, El Wadi El Gadeed Governorate in Egypt. Results showed that all NPs treatments had positive impact on all growth traits and grain yield. Sids1 surpassed Gemmeiza7 at the quality of wheat grains (essential, non-essential amino acids and minerals content). However, Gimmeza7 exceeded Sids1 at the yield quantity especially by application of SA+Fe NPs 0.50ppm. These effects were associated with heat tolerance and the best survival in wheat cultivars. There was an increase in (glutathione content), antioxidant enzymes (Glutathione -S- Transferase, catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) and/or decline in malondialdehyde content.