Influence of CeO2-Nanoparticles on morpho-physiological tritas and tanshinone contents of roots in Salvia miltiorrihiza Bunge upon foliar and soil application methods

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) may differentially affect physiological and metabolic processes of plants depends on plant species, culture conditions, concentrations and application methods.

Evalaution of the effects of different concentrations of CeO2NPs through two different methods at two growth stages on morpho-physiological and phytochemicqal characteristics of red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge).

In this study CeO2NPs (0, 250, 500, 1000 mg/l) was applied at two growth stages (vegetative and reproductive) via foliar and soil application in a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications.

Maximum dry weight of aerial parts was obsrved in 250 mg/l CeO2NPs foliar application treatment at reproductive stage. Chlorophyll a content was peaked at 250 mg/l CeO2NPs soil applied treatment at reproductive stage. Furthermore, the highest content of total phenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant acitivity were obtained in leaf extract of plants foliar treated with 500 mg/l CeO2NPs at reproductive stage. The highest root rosmarinic acid and tanshinon content was achived at soil applied CeO2NPs of 500 mg/l at reproductive stage, which increased 58.7 and 24.6% compared to the respective control, respectively.

According to the obtained results in this study, CeO2NPs at 250 and 500 mg/l through foliar application at reproductive stage showed strong effect on improvement of morpho-physiological and phytochemical characteristics in S. miltiorrhiza.