Modulation of rhizosphere microbial community and metabolites by bio-functionalized nanoscale silicon oxide alleviates cadmium-induced phytotoxicity in bayberry plants

Ahmed T 1 , Shou L 2 , Guo J 3 , Noman M 4 , Qi Y 5 , Yao Y 6 Show all authors , Masood HA 7 , Rizwan M 8 , Ali MA 9 , Ali HM 10 , Li B 11 , Qi X 12

Affiliations 

  • 1 Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou 311231, China; State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
  • 2 Station for the Plant Protection & Quarantine and Control of Agrochemicals Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310004, China
  • 3 State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
  • 4 State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
  • 5 Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou 311231, China
  • 6 Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou 311231, China; Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
  • 7 Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, 38000 Faisalabad, Pakistan; MEU Research Unit, Middle East University, Amman, Jordan
  • 8 Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
  • 9 Biotechnology Programme, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
  • 10 Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
  • 11 State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: libin0571@zju.edu.cn
  • 12 Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou 311231, China. Electronic address: qixj@zaas.ac.cn
Sci Total Environ, 2024 May 08;933:173068.
PMID: 38723965 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173068

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is an extremely toxic heavy metal that can originate from industrial activities and accumulate in agricultural soils. This study investigates the potential of biologically synthesized silicon oxide nanoparticles (Bio-SiNPs) in alleviating Cd toxicity in bayberry plants. Bio-SiNPs were synthesized using the bacterial strain Chryseobacterium sp. RTN3 and thoroughly characterized using advanced techniques. A pot experiment results demonstrated that Cd stress substantially reduced leaves biomass, photosynthesis efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity, and induced oxidative damage in bayberry (Myrica rubra) plants. However, Bio-SiNPs application at 200 mg kg-1 significantly enhanced plant biomass, chlorophyll content (26.4 %), net photosynthetic rate (8.6 %), antioxidant enzyme levels, and mitigated reactive oxygen species production under Cd stress. Bio-SiNPs modulated key stress-related phytohormones by increasing salicylic acid (13.2 %) and abscisic acid (13.7 %) contents in plants. Bio-SiNPs augmented Si deposition on root surfaces, preserving normal ultrastructure in leaf cells. Additionally, 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated that Bio-SiNPs treatment favorably reshaped structure and abundance of specific bacterial groups (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Acidobacteriota) in the rhizosphere. Notably, Bio-SiNPs application significantly modulated the key metabolites (phenylacetaldehyde, glycitein, maslinic acid and methylmalonic acid) under both normal and Cd stress conditions. Overall, this study highlights that bio-nanoremediation using Bio-SiNPs enhances tolerance to Cd stress in bayberry plants by beneficially modulating biochemical, microbial, and metabolic attributes.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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