Exogenous application of phytosynthesized nanoceria to alleviate ferulic acid stress in Solanum lycopersicum

- Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) were biologically synthesized using flower extract of Thymus serpyllum.
- The exogenous application of nanoceria protects tomato seedlings against ferulic acid (FA) stress.
- FA induced detrimental effect on photosynthetic activity while nanoceria exhibited protective effect.
- The involvement of nanoceria as antioxidant may protect crop plants from autointoxication.

Phytosynthesized cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) using Thymus serpyllum flower extract were used as cytoprotective and antioxidant for alleviating ferulic acid (FA) stress in Solanum lycopersicum in hydroponic culture. XRD, SEM and PSA studies revealed cubic structure, spherical shape and size of the particles ranging from 21 to 100 nm respectively. FTIR (study) indicated that some biomolecules were bound to the surface of nanoceria as capping and stabilizing agent. FA induced detrimental effects on photosynthetic activity while protective effects of nanoceria in combined treatments were evident from chlorophyll fluorescence data and pigment analysis. The exogenous application of nanoceria under FA stress led to drop in malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage while pigment contents were augmented. The involvement of green synthesized nanoceria as an antioxidant may protect crop plants from autointoxication, one of the major problems in monocropping.