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Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the growth, photosynthetic traits, and antioxidative enzymes in tomato plants

  • Original papers
  • Published:
Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

With the dramatic increase in nanotechnologies, it has become probable that biological systems will be exposed to excess of nanoparticles (NPs). However, the impact of NPs on plants remains to be explored. The aim of this research was to determine the effects of ZnO NPs on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants. Plant growth, photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and activities of antioxidative enzymes were measured in 35-d-old plants. The ZnO NP treatments significantly inhibited tomato root and shoot growth, decreased the content of chlorophylls a and b, and reduced photosynthetic efficiency and some other chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the supernatant of ZnO NP suspensions did not affect growth of tomato, despite the presence of small amounts of Zn2+. Taken together, these results suggest that toxic effects on tomato plants were from ZnO NPs, not from Zn2+ released into the solution; toxicity was likely caused by reduced chlorophyll content and damaged photochemical system, which in turn limited photosynthesis and led to the reduction in biomass accumulation. Also, ZnO NPs enhanced the transcription of genes related to antioxidant capacity, suggesting that ZnO NPs could enhance the defence response by increasing activities of antioxidant enzymes.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

Car:

carotenoids

CAT:

catalase

Chl:

chlorophyll

ci :

intercellular CO2 concentration

E:

transpiration rate

ETR:

apparent electron transport rate

Fm :

maximum fluorescence

Fv :

variable fluorescence

Fv/Fm :

maximum efficiency of PS II photochemistry

gs:

leaf stomatal conductance

NPs:

nanoparticles

PN :

net photosynthetic rate

PS:

photosystem

qP:

photochemical quenching

qPCR:

quantitative PCR

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

ΦPSII :

quantum yield of PS II photochemistry

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P.R. China

    X. P. Wang

  2. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Eco-environmental Science, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Marine Algal Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P.R. China

    X. P. Wang & Z. M. Pei

  3. Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, P.R. China

    X. P. Wang, Q. Q. Li & S. C. Wang

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  1. X. P. Wang
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  2. Q. Q. Li
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  3. Z. M. Pei
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  4. S. C. Wang
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Correspondence to S. C. Wang.

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Acknowledgment: This work was supported by the Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE (130014542) and the Programme for Introducing Talents to Universities (B07017).

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Wang, X.P., Li, Q.Q., Pei, Z.M. et al. Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the growth, photosynthetic traits, and antioxidative enzymes in tomato plants. Biol Plant 62, 801–808 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-018-0813-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-018-0813-4

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