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. 2024 Jul 4;13(13):1839.
doi: 10.3390/plants13131839.

Do Lignin Nanoparticles Pave the Way for a Sustainable Nanocircular Economy? Biostimulant Effect of Nanoscaled Lignin in Tomato Plants

Ciro Tolisano  1 , Dario Priolo  1 , Monica Brienza  2 , Debora Puglia  3 , Daniele Del Buono  3
Affiliations

Do Lignin Nanoparticles Pave the Way for a Sustainable Nanocircular Economy? Biostimulant Effect of Nanoscaled Lignin in Tomato Plants

Ciro Tolisano et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

Agriculture has a significant environmental impact and is simultaneously called to major challenges, such as responding to the need to develop more sustainable cropping systems with higher productivity. In this context, the present study aimed to obtain lignin nanoparticles (LNs) from pomace, a waste product of the olive oil chain, to be used as a nanobiostimulant in tomato plants. The biostimulant effect of this biopolymer is known, but its reduction to nanometer size can emphasize this property. Tomato plants were subjected to different LN dosages (25, 50, and 100 mg L-1) by foliar application, and inductive effects on photosynthetic machinery, aerial and root biomass production, and root morphology were observed. The treated plants showed increased efficiency in catching and using light, while they reduced the fraction dissipated as heat or potentially toxic to cells for the possibility of creating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, this benefit was matched by increased pigment content and a stimulatory action on the content of nitrogen (NBI) and antioxidant substances such as flavonoids. In conclusion, the present study broadens the horizon of substances with biostimulant action by demonstrating the validity and efficacy of nanobiostimulants obtained from biological residues from the olive oil production chain.

Keywords: Lycopersicon esculentum; biostimulant; lignin; nanomaterials; waste valorization.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
FESEM image of LNs obtained from olive pomace.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effects of LNs on the photosynthetic activity of tomato plants. The following parameters are reported: Phi2 (the efficiency of PSII), PhiNO (the non-regulated dissipation of light energy), PhiNPQ (the photo-protective non-photochemical quenching), qL (the open state of PSII), Fv/Fm (the photochemical efficiency of PSII), and P700 DIRK (the dark-interval relaxation kinetics of P700). Different letters indicate that values are significantly different according to Duncan’s multiple comparison test (p < 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects of LN treatments on the photosynthetic activity of tomato plants. LEF is the linear electron flow, NPQt is the total non-photochemical quenching, ECSt is the total electrochromic shift, and gH+ is the proton conductivity of the thylakoid membrane. Different letters indicate that values are significantly different according to Duncan’s multiple comparison test (p < 0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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