Licorice–wolfberry-derived nanomaterial improves the germination rate of wheat under salt stress by maintaining reactive oxygen species homeostasis

Introduction The research on improving the salt tolerance of crops through plant nanobiotechnology has been extensively reported. However, the mechanism by which plant - derived nanomaterials enhance the germination rate of wheat under salt stress remains elusive. Unveiling the mechanism by which plant - derived nanomaterials boost the salt tolerance of wheat is conducive to safeguarding food security. Methods Herein, we used mesoporous self-assembly licorice and wolfberry-derived complex nanomaterial (LW-CNs) to soak wheat ( Triticum aestivum L) seeds. Results The size and zeta potential of LW-CNs were 42.2±8.2 nm and -1 9.6±1.5 eV, respectively. After 4 days of salt stress, LW-CNs-soaked wheat seeds presented a higher germination rate (78.4±8.3 vs 54.4±8.5%) and protein content (44.0±0.1 vs 39.1±0.2 mg g -1 ), but no significant effect was observed on fresh weight (2.6±0.4 vs 2.3±0.4 g). LW-CNs significantly increased the pigment content ( chlorophyll a : 0.11±0.0 vs 0.03±0.0 mg g -1 , chlorophyll b : 0.05±0.0 vs 0.02±0.0 mg g -1 , and carotenoids: 10.3±0.0 vs 2.9±0.0 μg g -1 ). LW-CNs alleviated salt-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated through increase superoxide dismutase (917.4±8.7 vs 767.5±1.6 U g -1 ), peroxidase (2458.7±5.0 vs 2070.5±14.8 U g -1 ), and catalase (158.3±3.9 vs 112.0±3.2 μmol min -1 g -1 ) activity. Soaking in LW-CNs maintained ROS homeostasis also through the ascorbic acid–glutathione cycle. Furthermore, LW-CNs elevated the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio within wheat seeds and augmented the activities of nitrogen metabolism enzymes. Conclusion Overall, our study demonstrates that soaking seeds with plant - derived nanomaterials promotes the growth and nutrient absorption of wheat under salt stress by modulating the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio/.