Silicon dioxide nanoparticles promote the seed vigor of naturally aged tobacco seeds by modulating physiological and biochemical responses

Pan, Wei

PLANT NANO BIOLOGY

2026

16

Chen, LG

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L., cultivar MSK326) seeds after long term storage exhibit reduced seed vigor, leading to impaired seedling establishment and economic losses in tobacco production. Seed priming with nanoparticles serves as a low-cost and environmentally friendly strategy to improve seed performance. In this study, we found that silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) priming can significantly enhance seed germination and subsequent seedling establishment of severely aged tobacco seeds. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SiO2NPs priming altered the expression of genes involved in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism and phytohormone biosynthesis of severely aged tobacco seeds. Consistent with these transcriptional changes, SiO2NPs priming resulted in reduced superoxide anion (O2 center dot-) accumulation, increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, and enhanced activities of antioxidant related enzymes in severely aged tobacco seeds. Furthermore, endogenous gibberellin (GA) and auxin (IAA) contents were significantly increased following SiO2NPs priming in severely aged tobacco seeds. Interestingly, exogenous GA3 and IAA can promote the seed vigor of severely aged tobacco seeds. The metabolomic analysis further corroborated the results of physiological and transcriptomic analyses that SiO2NPs priming restores the vigor of severely aged tobacco seeds by coordinating redox homeostasis and GA/IAA biosynthesis. Collectively, our results demonstrated the underlying mechanism by which SiO2NPs priming revitalizes the seed vigor of severely aged tobacco seeds and also contributes to the understanding of the physiological and molecular mechanism of SiO2NPs priming in plants.