Effect of Silica-Based Nanomaterials on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The application of nanomaterials (NMs) in agriculture has become a global concern in recent years. However, studies on their effects on plants are still limited. Here, we conducted a seed germination experiment for 5 days and a hydroponics experiment for 14 days to study the effects of silicon dioxide NMs(nSiO(2)) and silicon carbide NMs(nSiC) (0,10, 50, 200 mg/L) on rice (Oryza sativa L.). Bulk SiO(2) (bSiO(2)) and sodium silicate (Na(2)SiO(3)) were used as controls. The results showed that nSiO(2) and nSiC increased the shoot length (11–37%, 6–25%) and root length (17–87%, 59–207%) of germinating seeds, respectively, compared with the control. Similarly, inter-root exposure to nSiO(2), bSiO(2,) and nSiC improved the activity of aboveground catalase (10–55%, 31–34%, and 13–51%) and increased the content of trace elements magnesium, copper, and zinc, thus promoting the photosynthesis of rice. However, Na(2)SiO(3) at a concentration of 200 mg/L reduced the aboveground and root biomass of rice by 27–51% and 4–17%, respectively. This may be because excess silicon not only inhibited the activity of root antioxidant enzymes but also disrupted the balance of mineral elements. This finding provides a new basis for the effect of silica-based NMs promotion on seed germination and rice growth.