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SABRAO J. Breed. Genet.56 (6) 2405-2415. http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2024.56.6.22
2405
SABRAO Journal of Breeding and Genetics
56 (6) 2405-2415, 2024
http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2024.56.6.22
http://sabraojournal.org/
pISSN 1029-7073; eISSN 2224-8978
SILVER NANOPARTICLES AND NPK FERTILIZER EFFECTS ON THE PROLINE,
PEROXIDASE, AND CATALASE ENZYMES IN WHEAT
W.J. ATIA* and A.G. ORAIBI
Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq
Corresponding author’s email: widad.atia@nahrainuniv.edu.iq
Email address of co-author: asma.ghatea@nahrainuniv.edu.iq
SUMMARY
This research investigated the effects of bio-silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on proline content,
peroxidase, and catalase enzyme activity of two Iraqi wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Ibaa 99
and Al-Rasheed) compared with NPK fertilizers. The biosynthesis of AgNPs from A. graveolens aqueous
extract, and their characterization occurred through the alteration in color of the reaction blend, as an
unambiguous proof for AgNPs’ formation. Determining the size and shape of AgNPs used a scanning
microscope and an atomic force microscope to characterize them. Uv-spectrophotometer described the
AgNPs, revealing the peak of highest absorption at (𝛌max) 408 nm. The X-Ray Diffraction device
application diagnosed the AgNP properties. The research transpired at the AL-Nahrain Laboratories,
where cultivated cultivars in September 2022 had three replications for each concentration of
biosynthesized AgNPs and NPK treatments (0.1, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/ml), and a control for comparison. A
significant decrease in proline was evident for Al-Rasheed cultivar, while a significant increase
appeared in Ibaa 99 cultivar. A notable decrease in proline resulted from NPK fertilizer treatments.
Peroxidase and catalase enzyme activity significantly rose in both cultivars, while nonsignificant
differences were visible when using NPK between them.
Keywords: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), biofertilizers, silver nanoparticles, antioxidant enzymes
activity, Apium graveolens L.
Key findings: In wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crops, the silver nanoparticles can be safe for use to
improve the physiological and biochemical traits and replace the chemical fertilizers negatively
affecting the soil and human health.
Communicating Editor: Dr. A.N. Farhood
Manuscript received: November 29, 2023; Accepted: April 22, 2024.
© Society for the Advancement of Breeding Research in Asia and Oceania (SABRAO) 2024
Citation: Atia WJ, Oraibi AG (2024). Silver nanoparticles and NPKK fertilizer effects on the proline, peroxidase, and
catalase enzymes in wheat. SABRAO J. Breed. Genet. 56(6): 2405-2415.
http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2024.56.6.22.
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Atia and Oraibi (2024)
2406
INTRODUCTION
The cultivation of crop plants, especially
cereals, plays a significant role in economies of
developed and developing nations, also helping
to feed the world’s expanding population. In
the community, the food security mainly
depends on increased grain production. Wheat
(Triticum aestivum L.) belongs to the family
Poaceae, used as an essential food worldwide.
Over 50% of the global population primarily
depends on wheat to meet their daily
nutritional requirements. Therefore, it is
important to enhance the wheat grain
production and its nutritional values to meet
the needs of the growing population (Ikram et
al., 2020).
Population growth, exhaustion of
natural resources, and underground problems
are major elements exerting stress on the
environment in using chemo-fertilizers, which
may cause considerable damage to the
ecology, soil, and human health. However, the
demand for environmentally safe agriculture
products is increasing, including
biotechnological progress. Furthermore,
mineral fertilizers and pesticides application
instigates substantial environmental disruption
and inevitably contributes to the proliferation
of nutritionally compromised food items. For
instance, nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas,
results from nitrogen fertilizers’ use (Solomon
et al., 2012; Pandiselvi et al., 2017).
It is noteworthy that the prolonged use
of mineral fertilizers has considerably reduced
organic matter in the cultivated soil, causing
soil acidification and serious threats to plant
survival. Therefore, injudicious use of chemical
fertilizers to increase production may also have
negative consequences, such as, leaching,
pollution, and friendly microorganisms and
insects’ destruction, ultimately reducing soil
fertility (Khan et al., 2019). Nanotechnology
gains traction in the field of agriculture; hence,
scientists work tediously to develop
nanodevices to control agriculture on
nanoplatforms. As a result, fungicides
containing nanoparticles emerged, aiding in the
destruction of fungal species without causing
environmental pollution. Hazardous chemical
forces and reactions are functional in the
physical and chemical processes of
nanomaterial synthesis, which degrade the
environment (Javed et al., 2021). Given that
plant-mediated synthesis is biocompatible and
contributes significantly to the improvement in
crop plants, it also provides advantages over
conventional physical and chemical methods
for material synthesis (Sultana et al., 2021).
Nanofertilizers’ use can improve the
elemental efficiency, lessens soil toxicity from
excessive mineral fertilizer consumption, and
decrease frequent fertilizer application. Foliar
nanotechnology liquid fertilizer enhances
overall plant growth and fruit yield of
cucumber, by providing the nutrients to plants,
improving photosynthesis rate, chlorophyll
formation, overall plant growth, and dry matter
production (El-Shawa et al., 2022). The
application of biosynthetic metal nanoparticles
reduces the deterioration of carotenoids and
chlorophyll in the leaves, which also keeps high
activities of antioxidant enzymes.
Currently, the use of chemical
fertilizers declines by using bio-organic
fertilizer, eventually decreasing environmental
pollution and the cost of producing numerous
crops, especially grain crops (Mohamed et al.,
2022). Increasing needs for further
development of non-toxic, inexpensive, high-
yielding, and eco-friendly synthesis methods of
nanoparticles are certain. Using
bionanotechnology can improve food
sufficiency by enhancing crops’ yield, and
nanoparticles can boost the productivity and
growth of various crops, especially cereal
crops, as an alternative to traditional fertilizers
(Oraibi et al., 2022). Therefore, the presented
study sought to determine the effects of foliar
application of vegetable-made silver
nanoparticles and NPK fertilizer on the content
of proline, peroxidase, and catalase enzymes in
two Iraqi wheat cultivars.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant samples and aqueous extract
preparation
Acquiring Apium graveolens L. plants locally
commenced in June 2022, with their
SABRAO J. Breed. Genet.56 (6) 2405-2415. http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2024.56.6.22
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classification undergoing verification by the
National Herbal Commission, General
Commission for Agricultural Research,
Baghdad, Iraq. The aqueous extract of the A.
graveolens plants proceeded a conventional
preparation. The said process involved
thoroughly drying the green plant parts with
dry air after washing them with water to
remove impurities from their surface.
Combining the 50 g ground powder of A.
graveolens along with 250 ml of sterilized
deionized water continued in a glass beaker
with a size of 1000 ml. The said combination
sustained boiling in a water bath at 45 °C for
30 min. The extract’s filtering used a Whatman
No. Filter Paper-1, then reached storage for
later use at 4 °C (Talib et al., 2023).
Preparation of the silver nitrate solution
For preparing a 1 mM concentration of silver
nitrate solution, the study used the molarity
law described below:
M = W/(M.wt) × 1000/V
0.001 = W/169.87 × 1000/100, W = 0.016987
g
Thus, the 0.016987 g of silver nitrate
dissolved in 100 ml of deionized water
obtained a 1 mM silver nitrate solution ready
for use.
Green-manufucture of silver nanoparticles
The A. graveolens extract was a prime
ingredient to develop silver nanoparticles (Al-
Othman et al., 2017). Mixing the 100 ml of a 1
Mm silver nitrate solution continued with 10 ml
of A. graveolens aqueous extract. The
mixture’s heating on a magnetic vibrating plate
progressed at a temperature of 45 °C for 20
min. Then, an observation of the mixture’s
color change ensued as preliminary evidence
for the construction of silver nanoparticles.
Then, retaining 100 ml of silver nitrate solution
of 1 mmol concentration earlier prepared
ensued for use as a control in certain
measurements.
Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles
The solution of biosynthesized nanoparticles
incurred drying, afterward, preparing three
different concentrations of silver nanoparticles
(1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/ml) continued
sequentially. Similarly, the preparation of the
same concentrations of NPK occurred for
comparative study.
Characterization of biosynthesized silver
nanoparticles
Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles’ diagnosis
used: Field Emission Scanning Electron
Microscopy (FE-SEM), French MIRA3 FE-SEM
Scanner, to know the shape and size of silver
nanoparticles. It also used a gold-carbon
electron microscope holder clipped with about
5 μl of ready-to-examine solutions to ascertain
the size and shape of biosynthesized particles
in prepared samples, drying at room
temperature, and then tested in magnifying
powers. The Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
determined the roughness and surface
morphology of the synthesized silver
nanoparticles. The Angstrom Advanced
AA2000. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis used
in the diagnosis process included centrifugation
of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles for 15
min at 10,000 r/m. Later, re-dispersion ensued
in a sterile D.W. with another centrifugation for
10 min at 10,000 r/m. The samples’ drying
followed in an oven at 50 °C, with an analysis
by XRD, XRD measurement of biosynthesized
silver nanoparticles. The Ultraviolet-Visible
spectrometer employment had a wavelength of
190–1100 nm.
Wheat cultivars treatment with silver
nanoparticles and NPK
Iraqi wheat cultivars Ibaa 99 and Al-Rasheed
seeds, cultured in September 2022,
commenced in pots containing 50/50 w/w soil
and peat moss in a growth chamber.
(Photoperiods 16/8hrs:light/dark, light
intensity: 1000 Lux, temperature: 20 °C ± 2
°C, and relative humidity: 60%, watered
Atia and Oraibi (2024)
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ensuring pots do not dry out, with three
replications for each concentration of
biosynthesized AgNPs and the NPK treatments
[0.0, 0.1, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/ml]). Obtaining dry
weights of treated seedlings (drying in an oven
at 45 °C) used a sensitive balance. Proline
concentrations, peroxidase, and catalase
enzymes’ activities were notable about eight
weeks after seed germination with twice-a-
week foliar spraying of AgNPs and the NPK
concentrations under controlled conditions
(Naliwajski and Skłodowska, 2021).
Statistical analysis
The statistical program Genstat was the
application analyzing the resulted data
according to the factorial experiment. The
experiment had a randomized complete block
design (RCBD) with three replications per
every treatment.
RESULTS
The green synthesis of AgNPs by the water
extract of A. graveolens leaves exhibited a
color change occurring in the plant extract
from light brown to dark brown when adding
silver nitrate solution at room temperature for
12 h (Figure 1). The change in color was the
proof for the synthesis of AgNPs. The
appearance of silver particles of this color was
visible and not silver, as a result of the
occurrence of the phenomenon of surface
plasmon resonance.
Using a scanning electron microscope,
characterization of shape and size of AgNPs
revealed these particles were non-clumpy and
almost spherical (Figure 2). The sizes of silver
nanoparticles of the A. graveolens aqueous
extracted from leaves were between 37.18–
19.58 nm, and the average size was 28.45 nm,
falling within the limits of known nanoparticle
sizes.
By examining through the atomic force
microscope to detect the silver nanoparticles of
A. graveolens extract showed the size of these
particles was 17.90 nm. The diameter of the
silver nanoparticles ranges between 45–90 nm,
and the average diameter of the nanoparticles
was 69.44 nm. The atomic force microscope
provided two- and three-dimensional images to
clarify the shape and dimensions of the
nanoparticles (Figure 3). The silver
nanoparticles of A. graveolens plant extract’s
detection used a UV spectrophotometer, and
the results revealed the highest absorption
peak was at (𝛌max) 408 nm (Figure 4). The
XRD device employed characterized the silver
nanoparticles, with the obtained peaks were at
100, 111, 200, 220, and 311, which
corresponded with Bragg reflections at the
value of 2θ for angles 31.70 °, 38.32 °, 44.5 °,
64.65°,and 77.5°, respectively (Figure 4).
The biosynthesized AgNPs affect the
concentration of proline and the activity of
catalase and peroxidase enzymes (Table 1).
The results revealed a significant decrease in
proline content for the wheat cultivar Al-
Rasheed at concentrations of 1.0 and 1.5
mg/ml of biosynthesized AgNPs, observed to
be at 8.06 and 15.59 U gm-1, respectively.
But, it was nonsignificant at 2 mg/ml (24.64 U
gm-1) compared with the control (23.85 U gm-
1). In contrast, for Ibaa 99 cultivar, the
difference was not significant at a
concentration of 1.5 mg/ml (6.91 U gm-1),
with a marked increase only at the treatments
of two AgNP concentrations, 1.0 and 2.0
mg/ml (23.8 and 17.10 U gm-1, respectively),
compared with the control (5.54 U gm-1). The
lowest value appeared at a concentration of
1.0 mg/ml (8.06 U gm-1) in the Al-Rasheed
cultivar. Furthermore, a substantial increase in
proline arose in the Al-Rasheed cultivar (18.0 U
gm-1) compared with the cultivar Ibaa 99
(13.3 U gm-1). The NPK fertilizer treatments
showed the proline concentration notably
decreased with an increased NPK
concentration. However, no significant
difference surfaced between the two cultivars
in -their proline content.
The results in Table 2 further detailed,
with the application of 1.5 mg/ml of AgNPs, the
peroxidase enzyme activity remarkably rose in
the cultivar Ibaa 99 (Table 2). It had a value at
0.95 U mg−1 and nonsignificant differences at
1.0 and 2.0 mg/ml (0.217 and 0.01 U mg−1,
respectively) compared with the control (0.071
U mg−1). Cultivar Al-Rasheed provided a
significant increase with a value of 1.475 U
SABRAO J. Breed. Genet.56 (6) 2405-2415. http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2024.56.6.22
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mg−1 at 1.0 mg/ml of AgNPs. It had no
significant differences at 1.5 and 2.0 mg/ml of
AgNPs compared with the control treatment
(0.176 U mg−1). The cultivars showed
significant increase in peroxidase enzyme
activity, which occurred in the cultivar Al-
Rasheed (0.547 U mg−1) versus cultivar Ibaa
99 (0.312 U mg−1).
The findings enunciated a noteworthy
increase in catalase enzyme activity at 1.0 and
1.5 mg/ml AgNPs for wheat cultivars Ibaa 99
and Al-Rasheed, recorded values at 0.031 and
0.03 U mg−1 and 0.018 and 0.05 U mg−1,
respectively, compared with the control. No
significant differences were evident in relation
to cultivar effects (Table 3). Likewise,
nonsignificant differences occurred for the
catalase enzyme activity upon using NPK
concentrations of different doses with the
tested wheat cultivars, except at 1.5 mg/ml of
AgNPs for the wheat cultivar Ibaa 99.
Figure 1. Final color profile of the aqueous extract of A. graveolens. A: A. graveolens plant leaves,
B: A. graveolens aqueous extract, C: biosynthesized AgNPs (A. graveolens aqueous extract mixed with
Silver nitrate after 12 h of stirring under heat).
Figure 2. The size and shape of silver nanoparticles manufactured from aqueous extract of A.
graveolens using SEM.
Atia and Oraibi (2024)
2410
Figure 3. Atomic force microscopy AFM showing the size and diameter of silver nanoparticles
manufactured from aqueous extract of A. graveolens plant. A: 3D shape, B: 2D shape and diameter,
C: accumulation analysis.
Figure 4. A: UV-vis spectrum of the biosynthetic silver nanoparticles extracted from A. graveolens
plant. B: X-ray diffraction of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from A. graveolens plant extract.
*
SABRAO J. Breed. Genet.56 (6) 2405-2415. http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2024.56.6.22
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Table 1. Effect of foliar application of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles and NPK concentrations on
proline concentration of wheat cultivars Ibaa-99 and Al-Rasheed after eight weeks of germination (N =
30).
Wheat cultivars
Ag NPs concentrations (mg/ml)
Means (U mg−1)
0
1
1.5
2
Ibaa 99
5.54
23.8
6.91
17.1
13.3
Al-Rasheed
23.85
8.06
15.59
24.64
18
LSD0.05
Ag NPs concentrations = 6.1, Wheat cultivars = 3.36
Wheat cultivarS
NPK concentrations (mg/ml)
Means (U mg−1)
1
1.5
2
Ibaa 99
26.17
16.35
17.12
19.88
Al-Rasheed
26.02
15.59
19.08
20.23
LSD0.05
Ag NPs concentrations = 5.31, Wheat cultivars = 1.13
Table 2. Effect of foliar application of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles and NPK concentrations on
peroxidase activity in wheat cultivars Ibaa-99 and Al-Rasheed after eight weeks of germination (n =
30).
Wheat cultivars
Ag NPs concentrations (mg/ml)
Means (U mg−1)
0
1
1.5
2
Ibaa-99
0.071
0.217
0.95
0.01
0.312
Al-Rasheed
0.176
1.475
0.08
0.46
0.547
LSD0.05
Ag NPs concentrations = 0.36, Wheat cultivars = 0.15
Wheat cultivars
NPK concentrations (mg/ml)
Means (U mg−1)
1
1.5
2
Ibaa-99
0.237
1.09
1.18
0.83567
Al-Rasheed
0.041
0.25
0.97
0.42033
LSD0.05
Ag NPs concentrations = 1.12, Wheat cultivars = 0.34
Table 3. Effect of foliar application of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles and NPK concentrations on
catalase activity of wheat cultivars Ibaa-99 and Al-Rasheed after eight weeks of germination (n = 30).
Wheat cultivars
Ag NPs concentrations (mg/ml)
Means (U mg−1)
0
1
1.5
2
Ibaa-99
0.004
0.031
0.03
0
0.01675
Al-Rasheed
0.007
0.018
0.05
0
0.01875
LSD0.05
Ag NPs concentrations = 0.01, Wheat cultivars = 0.013
Wheat cultivars
NPK concentrations (mg/ml)
Means (U mg−1)
1
1.5
2
Ibaa-99
0.006
0.02
0.01
0.012
Al-Rasheed
0.004
0.01
0.01
0.00733
LSD0.05
Ag NPs concentrations = 0.01,Wheat cultivars = 0.013
Table 4. Effect of foliar application of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles and NPK concentrations on
silver metal conc. (ppm) in wheat cultivars Ibaa-99 and Al-Rasheed after eight weeks of germination
(n = 30).
Means
Ag NPs concentrations (mg/ml)
Wheat cultivars
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.0
0.468
0.440
0.390
0.385
0.655
Ibaa-99
0.439
0.410
0.370
0.570
0.405
Al-Rasheed
Ag NPs concentrations = 0. 160, Wheat cultivars = 0. 113
LSD0.05
Atia and Oraibi (2024)
2412
The results showed a sizable variation
in the concentration of silver metal
concentrations (ppm) between the cultivars,
treated with different concentrations of AgNPs
through foliar spray (Table 4). The Ibaa 99
cultivar significantly decreased in Ag
concentrations (ppm) in plants, when treated
with all concentrations of biosynthesized AgNPs
(0.385, 0.390, and 0.440 ppm), compared with
the control (0.655 ppm). This may be due to
the use of this element in the metabolic
processes of the plant. However, a notable
increase surfaced in the concentration of silver
metal in Al-Rasheed cultivar at 1.0 mg/ml of
AgNPs (0.570 ppm). Meanwhile, no significant
differences emerged at 1.5 and 2.0 mg/ml of
Ag metal concentrations (0.370 and 0.410
ppm) compared with the control (0.405).
DISCUSSION
Results regarding green synthesis of AgNPs
were in a greater analogy with findings
obtained by Jadoun et al. (2021). They
mentioned the color of the solution prepared
from water extract of the plant begins to
change with the adding of mineral salt under
controlled conditions. Moreover, it can separate
and the reaction mixture's color change can be
beneficial to regulate the production of
nanoparticles. Following this, the morphological
with spectral examinations explained the
properties of the manufactured particles. The
color of nanoparticles was distinct from light to
dark green. Biosynthesized of AgNPs were
among the easiest to prepare nanoparticles. In
the green synthesis of AgNPs, the solution of
silver metal ion with a biological reducing
agents were necessary (Singh et al., 2021).
The simplest and most affordable
method to produce silver nanoparticles,
reduced, and stabilized silver ions is by using a
combination of active biomolecules, such as,
proteins, alkaloids, polysaccharides, vitamins,
phenols, amino acids, saponins, and terpenes.
Approximately every plant has the potential for
use in producing AgNPs (Hano and Abbasi,
2022). The SEM results also agreed with those
of Javed et al. (2020), who reported the AgNPs
were irregular in shape, whereas some
nanoparticles had rectangular and cubic
shapes. Furthermore, according to Oraibi et al.
(2022), the biosynthesis of AgNPs from 1 mM
of AgNO3 solution using M. parviflora extract
filtrate can be easy to detect by a change in
mixture color from green to yellowish-brown. It
resulted from the metal nanoparticle's surface
plasmon vibration’s excitement.
The atomic force microscopy results
were consistent with those of Urnukhsaikhan et
al. (2021), who used AFM to characterize the
biosynthesized silver nanoparticles. The
analysis showed AgNP-S, AgNP-F, and AgNP-W
had respective sizes of 131, 33, and 70 nm.
Green nanoparticles characterization using an
uv-spectrophotometer confirms the presence of
silver nanoparticles. Nanoparticles in the
prepared solutions, due to surface plasmon
absorption (SPR), a phenomenon caused by
dipole oscillation, silver nanoparticles have
diagnostic qualities coming from absorption
peaks that appear at wavelengths between 450
and 400 nm. According to Ashraf et al. (2016)
in the UV-visible spectrum, a broad, strong
peak was visible at 455 nm for nanoparticles
made of silver. The peak's widening suggested
the particles were polydispersed. With surface
plasmon resonance, AgNPs usually display a
UV–visible absorption maximum in the 400–
500 nm range.
The XRD analysis results also
confirmed the examined material was silver
nanoparticles after comparing the
measurements with the X-ray diffraction
database ICDD file JCPDS 04-0783. The
average size of the silver nanoparticles’
extraction used the Debye-Scherer's equation,
with ranges between 61.5–21 nm. The results
also revealed a strong peak (high peak) at the
angle of 38.32°, indicating the nanocrystals
were more regular, arranged and organized in
a certain direction more than the rest of the
directions. These results align with findings
obtained by Espinosa et al. (2020), who
reported the XRD pattern for the silver
nanoparticle. The reduction reaction of Ag-
precursor was incomplete, as evidenced by
small diffraction peaks associated with the
trigonal structure of AgNO3 (COD entry No.
96-210-5348) and cubic-Ag2O (JCPDS No.
761396). Furthermore, a high peak centering
SABRAO J. Breed. Genet.56 (6) 2405-2415. http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2024.56.6.22
2413
at 2 θ = 38.202, 44.402, 64.602, 77.6, and
81.758° showed to be part of an FCC-Ag
structure. All these values correspond to 1 1 1,
2 0 0, 2 2 0, 3 1 1, and 2 2 2, respectively
(JCPDS No. 040783).
The study outcomes showed positive
effects of biosynthetic silver nanoparticles on
crops development and some plant
physiological characteristics, such as, proline
concentration, peroxidase, and catalase
activity. These results were analogous to the
observations made by Wahid et al. (2020),
which confirmed the great interdependence
between sustainable agriculture procedures
and nanobiology. The compound green AgNPs
helped mitigate the harmful effects on the
responses and physiological system of different
plants. Shibli et al. (2022) reported the
addition of AgNPs resulted in the development
of Q6 plants' mitigation abilities, particularly
following the addition of 75 mg/L AgNPs,
significantly increasing the viability of microbial
growth under 200 mmol NaCl compared with
the control group.
The treatment with AgNPs (especially
at 75 mg/L) to the media increased the total
chlorophyll, protein, and ions while decreasing
the proline compared with the control
treatment, indicating an enhancement in
microshoot tolerance to salt stress
circumstances. These findings suggested
adding particular concentrations of AgNPs
enhanced growth of Q6 and its tolerance under
salt stress conditions. Sabir et al. (2022)
reported spraying leaves with concentrations of
AgNPs (25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm) to Puccinia
striiformis-inoculated wheat plants to assess
the disease's incidence in opposition to striped
rust. AgNPs within the group of 75 ppm proved
to be very successful in preventing wheat bar
rust, with improved morphological and
physiological properties and decreased
enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds in
wheat plant. According to the impacts of green
AgNPs at different concentrations with different
plants, it indicates the safety of using silver
nanoparticles as a natural fertilizer for plants
through clear positive effects on various
studied phenotypic and physiological
characteristics.
Biologically manufactured nanoparticles
are friendly to the environment, with no toxic
effects on crop plant cells (Ismailova and
Azizov, 2022; Bakry et al., 2024). The study
noted nonsignificant differences in the
concentration of silver in the vegetative parts
of wheat cultivar Al-Rasheed treated with
different doses of silver nanoparticles
compared with the control. These results were
promising and consistent with those of Ahmed
et al. (2021), who reported the biosynthetic
AgNPs exhibited inhibitory effective at the
lowest concentration (10 mg/L). Moreover,
these enhanced crop growth and grain yield
with the concentration of 30 mg/L, and even at
drought conditions, it slightly increased plant
growth. These results exhibited promising
increases in yield per hectare, reduced the food
shortage, and boosted exports.
CONCLUSIONS
Treating the two cultivars with different
concentrations of AgNPs resulted in both
significant and nonsignificant differences in
their proline content, while a decrease in
proline occurred with increased NPK
concentrations. Silver nanoparticles exhibited a
significant effect and enhanced the antioxidant
enzymes activities.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors acknowledged the technical support
provided by the laboratories at the College of Science
and Plant Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University,
Baghdad, Iraq.
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