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Effect of copper oxide nanoparticles on growth, morphology, photosynthesis, and antioxidant response in Oryza sativa

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

The physiological and biochemical behaviour of rice (Oryza sativa, var. Jyoti) treated with copper (II) oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) was studied. Germination rate, root and shoot length, and biomass decreased, while uptake of Cu in the roots and shoots increased at high concentrations of CuO NPs. The accumulation of CuO NPs was observed in the cells, especially, in the chloroplasts, and was accompanied by a lower number of thylakoids per granum. Photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, and photosynthetic pigment contents declined, with a complete loss of PSII photochemical quenching at 1,000 mg(CuO NP) L−1. Oxidative and osmotic stress was evidenced by increased malondialdehyde and proline contents. Elevated expression of ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were also observed. Our work clearly demonstrated the toxic effect of Cu accumulation in roots and shoots that resulted in loss of photosynthesis.

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Abbreviations

AAS:

atomic absorption spectrophotometer

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

DM:

dry mass

E :

transpiration rate

FM:

fresh mass

Fm :

maximum fluorescence

Fo :

initial fluorescence

Fs :

steady-state fluorescence

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

GR:

glutathione reductase

gs :

stomatal conductance

IRGA:

infra red gas analyser

MDA:

malondialdehyde

NP(s):

nanoparticle(s)

P N :

photosynthetic rate

qP :

photochemical quenching

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SEM:

scanning electron microscope

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

TBA:

thiobarbituric acid

TEM:

transmission electron microscope

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Goa University, Goa, India, 403 206

    M. V. J. Da Costa & P. K. Sharma

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  1. M. V. J. Da Costa
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  2. P. K. Sharma
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Correspondence to P. K. Sharma.

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Acknowledgements: We thank the Department of Science & Technology (DST), New Delhi (SR/SO/PS-63/2009) and UGC-SAP (F. 3-50/2009 (SAP-II) for funding this work. We would like to thank All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi for TEM imaging; NIO, Goa for SEM imaging and atomic absorption spectrophotometry; Physics Department, Goa University for NP size determination using X-ray diffractometer. We are grateful to Andrew Willis, Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom for correcting the English of the manuscript.

Both authors made equal contribution to the work presented in this paper.

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Da Costa, M.V.J., Sharma, P.K. Effect of copper oxide nanoparticles on growth, morphology, photosynthesis, and antioxidant response in Oryza sativa . Photosynthetica 54, 110–119 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-015-0167-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-015-0167-5

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