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Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanotechnology and Applied Nanosciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 20381

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, 28 Jagiellonska St, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
Interests: cell differentiation; cell wall; auxin; somatic embryogenesis; nanoparticles; symplasmic communication
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanotechnology is an innovative and a promising field of studies that is developing at a rapid speed today. However, in addition to the benefits of nanotechnology in our everyday life, it may also have adverse effects, which are not sufficiently explored and understood. The rapidly developing commercial and industrial usage of nanotechnology leads to increased emission of nanoparticles into the environment and inevitably to different effects on living organisms, including plants. Our knowledge of the influence of nanoparticles (NPs) on plants’ development is relatively small, despite the various literature reports on the interaction of nanoparticles with plants. Therefore, it will be beneficial to collect all the current research results in this area in one place.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to study the impact of nanoparticles at various levels of plant life (e.g., structural, ultrastructural, physiological, biochemical, molecular).

Topics for this Special Issue include but are not limited to the following:

  • Nanoparticles and plant growth, physiology and biochemistry on the cell, tissue and organ level;
  • Mechanisms and routes of entry of nanoparticles to the plants;
  • Movement of nanoparticles within the plant on the cell, tissue, and organ level;
  • Nanotoxicology;
  • Green synthesis;
  • Nanoparticles and plant–pathogen interaction.

Prof. Dr. Ewa Kurczyńska
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Aboveground plant organs
  • Cell
  • Growth
  • Nanoparticles
  • Pathways of NPs entry to plant body
  • Physiology
  • Plant
  • Root
  • Ultrastructure

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 165 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue on Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants
by Ewa Kurczynska
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9158; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12189158 - 13 Sep 2022
Viewed by 948
Abstract
Nanotechnology is an extremely rapidly developing field that provides important elements to our daily life; however, it can also pose a threat to living organisms, including plants [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants)

Research

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15 pages, 5879 KiB  
Article
Morphological, Histological and Ultrastructural Changes in Hordeum vulgare (L.) Roots That Have Been Exposed to Negatively Charged Gold Nanoparticles
by Anna Milewska-Hendel, Weronika Gepfert, Maciej Zubko and Ewa Kurczyńska
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 3265; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073265 - 23 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2133
Abstract
In recent years, there has been an impressive development of nanotechnology. This has resulted in the increasing release of nanomaterials (NM) into the environment, thereby causing the risk of an uncontrolled impact on living organisms, including plants. More studies indicated the biotoxic effect [...] Read more.
In recent years, there has been an impressive development of nanotechnology. This has resulted in the increasing release of nanomaterials (NM) into the environment, thereby causing the risk of an uncontrolled impact on living organisms, including plants. More studies indicated the biotoxic effect of NM on plants, including crops. The interaction of nanoparticles (NP) with food crops is extremely important as they are a link to the food chain. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of negatively charged gold nanoparticles (-) AuNP (at two concentrations; 25 µg/mL or 50 µg/mL) on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root development. Morphological, histological and ultrastructural analyses (with the use of stereomicroscope, bright filed microscope and transmission electron microscope) revealed that regardless of the concentration, (-) AuNP did not enter into the plant body. However, the dose of (-) AuNP proved to be important for the plant’s response because different morphological, histological and ultrastructural changes were observed in the treated roots. The NP treatment caused: red root colouration, a local increase in the root diameter and a decreased formation of the root hair cells (on morphological level), damage to the rhizodermal cells, vacuolisation of the cortical cells, a detachment of the cell files between the cortical cells, atypical divisions of the cells, disorder of the meristem organisation (on the histological level), the appearance of periplasmic space, numerous vesicles and multivesicular bodies, electron-dense spots in cytoplasm, alterations in the structure of the mitochondria, breakdown of the tonoplast and the plasmalemma (on the ultrastructural level). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants)
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9 pages, 1634 KiB  
Communication
The Interaction of Graphene Oxide with the Pollen−Stigma System: In Vivo Effects on the Sexual Reproduction of Cucurbita pepo L.
by Davide Zanelli, Fabio Candotto Carniel and Mauro Tretiach
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6150; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11136150 - 2 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2777
Abstract
Applications involving graphene-related materials (GRMs) are becoming very common, raising concerns for their environmental impact. GRMs induce various effects on plants, but those on the sexual reproduction are still largely unknown. Here, the effects of graphene oxide (GO) and GO purified from production [...] Read more.
Applications involving graphene-related materials (GRMs) are becoming very common, raising concerns for their environmental impact. GRMs induce various effects on plants, but those on the sexual reproduction are still largely unknown. Here, the effects of graphene oxide (GO) and GO purified from production residues (PGO) were tested in vivo on the stigma of Cucurbita pepo L. ssp. pepoGreyzini” (summer squash). Stigmas were exposed to GO or PGO for three hours and were then analyzed by environmental scanning electron microscopy to verify possible alterations to their surface. Stigmas were then hand-pollinated to verify the effects of the two GOs on pollen adhesion and germination on the stigma, and, subsequently, on the development of fruits and seeds. Severe damages to the stigma were not detected; nevertheless, both pollen adhesion and germination on the stigma decreased. Moreover, fruits developed defectively with signs of necrosis in the case of GO, whereas fruits did not ripen in the case of PGO and ovules did not develop seeds after both GOs treatments. These results highlight different mechanisms of interaction of the two materials with the pollen-stigma system, suggesting a possible negative impact of GO on the sexual reproduction of other seed plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants)
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11 pages, 1357 KiB  
Article
Nano-Silver Particles Reduce Contaminations in Tissue Culture but Decrease Regeneration Rate and Slows Down Growth and Development of Aldrovanda vesiculosa Explants
by Marzena Parzymies
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 3653; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083653 - 19 Apr 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4387
Abstract
Aldrovanda vesiculosa is a carnivorous water plant which is endangered by extinction worldwide. The number of natural stands and populations has decreased; therefore, there is a need for its active protection. The best method would be an in vitro culture. One of the [...] Read more.
Aldrovanda vesiculosa is a carnivorous water plant which is endangered by extinction worldwide. The number of natural stands and populations has decreased; therefore, there is a need for its active protection. The best method would be an in vitro culture. One of the main problems is disinfection of the explants. Therefore, it was decided that we should treat the explants with nano-silver particles. The explants were shoot fragments which were disinfected with sodium hypochlorite and then placed in a liquid 1/5 MS medium, supplemented with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at a concentration of 5 mg·dm−3. It was observed that AgNPs reduced the number of contaminations but also led to necrosis of the shoots. The shoots, which undertook regeneration in presence of AgNPs, were smaller and did not form traps; however, after being moved to fresh media twice, they started to develop normal leaves. Taking into consideration both disinfection and regeneration rates, it might be advisable to disinfect aldrovanda shoots in sodium hypochlorite only, without AgNPs. The results of the research might indicate a toxic activity of AgNPs towards water plants, which seems a big problem, as nanoparticles are commonly used in all the fields of life. However, the matter should be studied further. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants)
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Review

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12 pages, 1903 KiB  
Review
Nanoparticles—Plant Interaction: What We Know, Where We Are?
by Ewa Kurczyńska, Kamila Godel-Jędrychowska, Katarzyna Sala and Anna Milewska-Hendel
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5473; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125473 - 12 Jun 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 3849
Abstract
In recent years; the interaction of nanoparticles (NPs) with plants has been intensively studied. Therefore, more and more aspects related to both the positive and negative impact of NP on plants are well described. This article focuses on two aspects of NP interaction [...] Read more.
In recent years; the interaction of nanoparticles (NPs) with plants has been intensively studied. Therefore, more and more aspects related to both the positive and negative impact of NP on plants are well described. This article focuses on two aspects of NP interaction with plants. The first is a summary of the current knowledge on NP migration through the roots into the plant body, in particular, the role of the cell wall. The second aspect summarizes the current knowledge of the participation of the symplast, including the plasmodesmata (PD), in the movement of NP within the plant body. We highlight the gaps in our knowledge of the plant–NP interactions; paying attention to the need for future studies to explain the mechanisms that regulate the composition of the cell wall and the functioning of the PD under the influence of NP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants)
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43 pages, 7414 KiB  
Review
Responses of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants to Engineered Nanoparticles
by Katarina Kralova and Josef Jampilek
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1813; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041813 - 18 Feb 2021
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4902
Abstract
Medicinal and aromatic plants have been used by mankind since ancient times. This is primarily due to their healing effects associated with their specific secondary metabolites (some of which are also used as drugs in modern medicine), or their structures, served as a [...] Read more.
Medicinal and aromatic plants have been used by mankind since ancient times. This is primarily due to their healing effects associated with their specific secondary metabolites (some of which are also used as drugs in modern medicine), or their structures, served as a basis for the development of new effective synthetic drugs. One way to increase the production of these secondary metabolites is to use nanoparticles that act as elicitors. However, depending on the specific particle size, composition, concentration, and route of application, nanoparticles may have several other benefits on medicinal and aromatic plants (e.g., increased plant growth, improved photosynthesis, and overall performance). On the other hand, particularly at applications of high concentrations, they are able to damage plants mechanically, adversely affect morphological and biochemical characteristics of plants, and show cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the beneficial and adverse effects of metal-, metalloid-, and carbon-based nanoparticles on the germination, growth, and biochemical characteristics of a wide range of medicinal and aromatic plants, including the corresponding mechanisms of action. The positive impact of nanopriming and application of nanosized fertilizers on medicinal and aromatic plants is emphasized. Special attention is paid to the effects of various nanoparticles on the production of valuable secondary metabolites in these plants cultivated in hydroponic systems, soil, hairy root, or in vitro cultures. The beneficial impact of nanoparticles on the alleviation of abiotic stresses in medicinal and aromatic plants is also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants)
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