Response of Lettuce to Silver Nanoparticles Under Drought Conditions

Nano-fertilization is an emerging technology to improve agricultural productivity under diverse ecosystems. Our study was conducted investigate the effects of foliar fertilization silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on growth, enzyme activities and water use efficiency (WUE) lettuce (Lactuca sativa, L.) drought conditions. A pot culture with 4 AgNPs rates × 2 stress levels in a factorial combination randomized complete block (RCB) design conducted. The were 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 100 mg/L) imposed seedlings ambient simulated (~50% field moisture capacity soil) Lettuce plant height, total yields, leaf relative content (RWC), chlorophyll content, membrane injury (MII), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reductase (GR), carboxylesterase (CaE), phenolics flavonoids WUE determined and/or calculated. results showed that GST activity reduced treatments + compared stressed plants. In treatment mg L−1 stress, GR increased 50 AgNPs, but significant decrease stress. CaE enhanced (about 1.55-fold) Total flavonoid phenolic contents highest It not obtained rates. MII highest, RWC lowest. Leaf width, height yield decreased at doses AgNPs.