Selvikaya I., Karataş R., Karakuş M., Yilmaz H., Demirel F., Güler E., ...Daha Fazla
BMC PLANT BIOLOGY, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.1-26, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
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Yayın Türü:
Makale / Tam Makale
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Cilt numarası:
1
Sayı:
1
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Basım Tarihi:
2026
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Doi Numarası:
10.1186/s12870-026-09935-3
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Dergi Adı:
BMC PLANT BIOLOGY
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Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler:
Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), BIOSIS, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals
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Sayfa Sayıları:
ss.1-26
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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli:
Evet
Özet
Abstract
Background
Drought is a major abiotic constraint that disrupts growth, physiology, and metabolic balance in medicinal and aromatic plants. This study examined how green-synthesized zinc (Zn) oxide and iron (Fe) oxide nanoparticles (NPs) influence drought tolerance in basil (
Ocimum basilicum
L.). A factorial greenhouse experiment evaluated two irrigation regimes (100% and 50% field capacity, FC) combined with four foliar treatments: control, Zn (100 mg L⁻
1
), Fe (100 mg L⁻
1
), and Zn + Fe (50 + 50 mg L⁻
1
), which represent agronomically realistic and field-applicable concentrations. Nanoparticles biosynthesized using sage (
Salvia officinalis
) extract were characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS).
Results
Under drought conditions, NP supplementation mitigated growth reductions by increasing plant height by up to 26.7%, leaf number by 30.6%, and biomass by 22.6% compared to untreated drought controls. The combined Zn + Fe treatment elicited trait-specific responses, particularly increasing phenolic and flavonoid contents by 53% and 48%, respectively, and notably enhancing catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities by 204% and 86% relative to drought controls. Consequently, oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde [MDA], hydrogen peroxide [H₂O₂]) were reduced by nearly 50%. Zn primarily enhanced non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity by increasing cupric reducing antioxidant capacity [CUPRAC], ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP], and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] by 135%, 48%, and 17%, respectively, whereas Fe supported enzymatic detoxification through a 27% increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activation compared to drought controls. Correlation analysis showed strong associations among antioxidant capacity, pigment levels, and growth traits, and principal component analysis (PCA) distinguished Zn + Fe-treated plants within antioxidant-rich and high-biomass clusters, indicating coordinated redox regulation.
Conclusions
Foliar nano-micronutrition with green-synthesized Zn NPs and Fe NPs strengthened antioxidant defenses, stabilized pigments, and improved growth resilience under drought, providing physiological and biochemical evidence of nanoparticle-mediated modulation of stress responses.