Molecular Plant Breeding 2024, Vol.15, No.6, 328-339 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 334 6 Case Studies 6.1 Application of the synergistic effects of Se and SiO2 nanoparticles in enhancing strawberry stress tolerance Drought stress is a critical factor limiting strawberry growth and yield, and traditional methods struggle to rapidly improve crop drought resistance. In recent years, nanotechnology has gained attention for its efficiency, with selenium (Se) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) showing potential in enhancing crop stress tolerance (Zahedi et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2024). However, the synergistic effects of Se and SiO2 have yet to be thoroughly investigated. Zahedi et al. (2020) evaluated the recovery effects of Se, SiO2, and Se/SiO2-NPs on strawberry plants under drought stress. The results demonstrated that Se/SiO2-NPs (100 mg/L) exhibited significant effects in protecting photosynthetic pigments, enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., peroxidase and superoxide dismutase), and mitigating oxidative stress by reducing H2O2 and MDA levels. Additionally, this treatment significantly increased antioxidant components in strawberry fruits, such as total phenolics, anthocyanins, and vitamin C, thereby improving fruit quality and nutritional value (Figure 3). Figure 3 Schematic diagram illustrating the proposed mechanisms of selenium (Se), silicon dioxide (SiO2) and Se/SiO2 NPs-induced drought stress tolerance in strawberry plants. Application of Se-, SiO2- and Se/SiO2-NPs to drought-stressed strawberry plants could improve growth performance and yield parameters by (i) protecting photosynthetic pigments and chlorophyll fluorescence to improve photosynthetic capacity, (ii) increasing proline and total carbohydrates for greater osmoprotection, (iii) activating antioxidant systems for maintenance of efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, (iv) enhancing water use efficiency (WUE) level for improvement of root biomass and maintenance of proper osmotic status of the cells, and (v) accumulation of fruit biochemical compounds to increase fruit quality (Adopted from Zahedi et al., 2020) Compared to the individual use of selenium or silicon dioxide nanoparticles, Se/SiO2 nanoparticles exhibit a stronger synergistic effect, particularly excelling in improving WUE and membrane stability index (MSI) under drought conditions. By increasing the levels of soluble carbohydrates and proline in leaves, these nanoparticles also enhance osmoprotection. The study suggests that such nanoparticle treatments could serve as a potential solution for managing drought stress in crops; however, further research is needed to validate their feasibility for large-scale agricultural applications. 6.2 The role of selenium in improving strawberry quality Strawberries are highly favored by consumers for their unique flavor and rich nutritional value. However, environmental stress and insufficient cultivation management often affect the yield and quality of strawberry fruits. Selenium, as an essential trace element, has been proven to play a significant role in enhancing plant stress resistance and increasing the content of secondary metabolites (Huang et al., 2018; Zahedi et al., 2019; Lin et al. 2024). The study comprehensively evaluated the effects of selenium on strawberry growth, antioxidant system,
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