Xing Pipeng, Liu Meiying, Pu Xiaojuan, Lin Jiajun, Pan Shenggang, Tang Xiangru
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Cultivation in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China.
Physiol Plant. 2025 Jul-Aug;177(4):e70384. doi: 10.1111/ppl.70384.
Fragrant rice is highly valued for its unique aroma but is vulnerable to heavy metal stress, particularly cadmium (Cd). This study investigates the effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO-NPs) on growth, photosynthetic properties, antioxidant enzyme activities, and aroma synthesis in fragrant rice seedlings under Cd stress. Heavy metal contamination in agriculture, particularly cadmium, is exacerbated by its high mobility. Nanotechnology, particularly the application of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO-NPs), presents a significant yet underexplored potential for mitigating these detrimental effects. Our results demonstrate that CeO-NPs significantly enhance the tolerance of fragrant rice seedlings to Cd stress. This is achieved primarily by reducing Cd uptake and suppressing the expression of genes responsible for Cd uptake and translocation. CeO-NPs also improve the antioxidant capacity of the seedlings, alleviate the impairment of the photosynthetic system under Cd stress, and promote root and overall plant growth. Additionally, CeO-NPs increase the aroma content of fragrant rice by enhancing the activity of aroma-related enzymes, increasing proline content, and subsequently elevating the levels of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP), a key aromatic compound. The study underscores the dual role of CeO-NPs in mitigating Cd toxicity and enhancing aromatic quality in fragrant rice. These findings suggest that CeO-NPs are a promising tool for protecting and improving the quality of fragrant rice in Cd-contaminated environments, offering a potential strategy for managing heavy metal stress in agriculture.
香米因其独特的香气而备受珍视，但易受重金属胁迫，尤其是镉（Cd）胁迫。本研究调查了氧化铈纳米颗粒（CeO-NPs）对镉胁迫下香稻幼苗生长、光合特性、抗氧化酶活性和香气合成的影响。农业中的重金属污染，尤其是镉污染，因其高迁移性而加剧。纳米技术，特别是氧化铈纳米颗粒（CeO-NPs）的应用，在减轻这些有害影响方面具有巨大但尚未充分探索的潜力。我们的结果表明，CeO-NPs显著提高了香稻幼苗对镉胁迫的耐受性。这主要是通过减少镉的吸收并抑制负责镉吸收和转运的基因的表达来实现的。CeO-NPs还提高了幼苗的抗氧化能力，减轻了镉胁迫下光合系统的损伤，并促进了根系和整株植物的生长。此外，CeO-NPs通过增强与香气相关的酶的活性、增加脯氨酸含量，进而提高关键芳香化合物2-乙酰-1-吡咯啉（2-AP）的水平，从而增加了香米的香气含量。该研究强调了CeO-NPs在减轻镉毒性和提高香米香气品质方面的双重作用。这些发现表明，CeO-NPs是在镉污染环境中保护和提高香米品质的一种有前途的工具，为农业中管理重金属胁迫提供了一种潜在策略。
