Physiological protection of basil plant (Ocimum basilicum L.) against cold stress using L-arginine-coated calcium hydroxide nanoparticles

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2 Department of Material Processing Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Low temperatures can limit crop productivity, which is a major concern for agricultural and horticultural crops worldwide. Cold stress can cause damage to plants during sensitive growth stages, leading to reduced crop performance. One such crop that is particularly susceptible to cold stress is Ocimum basilicum L., commonly known as basil. In this article, we present a study on the use of Ca (OH)2 nanoparticles (NPs) coated with L-arginine to decrease cold stress in this plant.
Methods: Basil plants were divided into two groups after two weeks of growth. One group was sprayed with distilled water, while the other group was sprayed with Arg-Ca(OH)₂ nanoparticle solutions every other day for a week. To induce cold stress, the plants were placed at 3 °C for 5 hours and then transferred to a greenhouse. After 24 hours, samples were taken and frozen in liquid nitrogen. The photosynthetic pigments, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, proline content, total soluble sugars, total protein, and enzymes’ activity, including superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, and lipoxygenase, were measured.
Results: The findings of this study revealed that cold stress decreased chlorophyll levels in basil plants while increasing activity of antioxidant enzymes, including malondialdehyde, proline, soluble sugars, protein oxidation, and lipoxygenase activity. However, treating the plants with the NPs significantly reduced malondialdehyde, proline, and protein oxidation. It also prevented chlorophyll degradation, boosted soluble sugar content, and increased antioxidant enzyme activity in the cold-stressed plants compared to untreated ones.
Conclusion: Overall, this research highlighted a beneficial role of the Ca(OH)2 NPs in mitigating the adverse effects of cold stress on basil plants.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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