Silicon Nanoparticles Improve the Shelf Life and Antioxidant Status of Lilium

Abstract

The production of ornamentals is an economic activity of great interest, particularly the production of Lilium. This plant is very attractive for its color and shapes; however, the quality of its flower and its shelf life can decrease very fast. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to develop techniques that allow for increasing both flower quality and shelf life. Nanotechnology has allowed for the use of various materials with unique characteristics. These materials can induce a series of positive responses in plants, among which the production of antioxidant compounds stands out. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the application of silicone nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) on the quality, shelf life, and antioxidant status of Lilium. For this, different concentrations of SiO₂ NPs (0, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg L^-1) were applied in two ways, foliar and soil, as two independent experiments. The contents of enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase) and non-enzymatic (phenols, flavonoids, and glutathione) antioxidant compounds, the mineral content, flower quality, and shelf life were analyzed. The results showed that the application of SiO₂ NPs through the foliar method induced a greater flowers' shelf life (up to 21.62% more than the control); greater contents of Mg, P, and S (up to 25.6%, 69.1%, and 113.9%, respectively, compared to the control); more photosynthetic pigment (up to 65.17% of total chlorophyll); more glutathione peroxidase activity (up to 69.9%); more phenols (up to 25.93%); and greater antioxidant capacity as evaluated by the DPPH method (up to 5.18%). The use of SiO₂ NPs in the production of Lilium is a good alternative method to increase flower quality and shelf life.

Keywords: enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants; flower quality; nanotechnology; ornamentals.

Figure 1

Effect of the application of SiO₂ NPs on the stem diameter (A), petiole diameter (B), and button length (C) of Lilium plants. Different letters indicate significant differences according to Fisher’s least significant difference test (p ≤ 0.05).

Figure 2

Effect of the application of SiO₂ NPs on the opening of the flower bud (A) and the flowers’ shelf life (B). Different letters indicate significant differences according to Fisher’s least significant difference test (p ≤ 0.05). das, days after sowing; days, the time (in days) for which the flowers were of good quality.

Figure 3

Effect of the application of SiO₂ NPs via the soil method (A,C) and the foliar method (B,D) on the concentration of chlorophyll in the flowers (A,B) and leaves (C,D) of Lilium. Different letters indicate significant differences according to Fisher’s least significant difference test (p ≤ 0.05).

Figure 4

Effect of the application of SiO₂ NPs via the soil method (A,C,E,G,I) and the foliar method (B,D,F,H,J) on the activity of the antioxidant enzymes SOD (A,B), GPX (C,D), CAT (E,F), APX (G,H), and PAL (I,J) in Lilium. Different letters indicate significant differences according to Fisher’s least significant difference test (p ≤ 0.05).

Figure 5

Effect of the application of SiO₂ NPs via the soil method (A,C,E) and the foliar method (B,D,F) on the non-enzymatic antioxidants: phenols (A,B), flavonoids (C,D), and glutathione (E,F). Different letters indicate significant differences according to Fisher’s least significant difference test (p ≤ 0.05).

Figure 6

Effect of the application of SiO₂ NPs via the soil method (A,C) and the foliar method (B,D) on the antioxidant capacity in the leaves (A,B) and flowers (C,D) of Lilium plants. DPPH H: antioxidant capacity of the hydrophilic compounds. DPPH L: antioxidant capacity of the lipophilic compounds. DPPH T: total antioxidant capacity. Different letters indicate significant differences according to Fisher’s least significant difference test (p ≤ 0.05).