Foliar Application of Ascorbic Acid and Green-Synthesized Nano Iron for Enhancing Drought Tolerance and Antioxidant Defense in Common Beans

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 6, 766 - 776, 15.11.2024

Hilal Yılmaz

https://doi.org/10.47115/bsagriculture.1556862

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of foliar-applied iron nanoparticles (FeNPs, 100 mg L⁻¹) and ascorbic acid (AsA, 400 mg L⁻¹) on the growth, photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant defense mechanisms of common beans under optimal (100% FC) and water-restricted (50% FC) conditions. Under drought stress, both FeNPs and AsA significantly alleviated the negative impacts of water deficit, improving plant height, chlorophyll content, and carotenoid accumulation. FeNPs increased chlorophyll a by 60% and carotenoid content by 83.5%, while AsA enhanced ascorbate peroxidase activity (APX) activity by 44.8%, demonstrating its role in reducing oxidative stress. Additionally, FeNPs boosted catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities by 198.2% and 17.3%, respectively. These treatments also significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, with FeNPs-treated plants showing a 54.7% reduction compared to the control (P<0.01), indicating lower oxidative damage. This study is the first to use green-synthesized FeNPs in the context of global climate change, highlighting their potential in enhancing drought tolerance. Future research should explore the long-term effects of nanomaterials on human health and environmental safety.

Keywords

Biostimulants, Defense mechanism, Drought stress, Global warming, Green-synthesized nanoparticles

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