Influence of CeO2-Nanoparticles on morpho-physiological tritas and tanshinone contents of roots in Salvia miltiorrihiza Bunge upon foliar and soil application methods

Background: Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) may differentially affect physiological and metabolic processes of plants depends on plant species, culture conditions, concentrations and application methods. Objective: Evalaution of the effects of different concentrations of CeO2NPs through two different methods at two growth stages on morpho-physiological and phytochemicqal characteristics of red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge). Methods: In this study CeO2NPs (0, 250, 500, 1000 mg/l) was applied at two growth stages (vegetative and reproductive) via foliar and soil application in a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications. Results: Maximum dry weight of aerial parts was obsrved in 250 mg/l CeO2NPs foliar application treatment at reproductive stage. Chlorophyll a content was peaked at 250 mg/l CeO2NPs soil applied treatment at reproductive stage. Furthermore, the highest content of total phenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant acitivity were obtained in leaf extract of plants foliar treated with 500 mg/l CeO2NPs at reproductive stage. The highest root rosmarinic acid and tanshinon content was achived at soil applied CeO2NPs of 500 mg/l at reproductive stage, which increased 58.7 and 24.6% compared to the respective control, respectively. Conclusion: According to the obtained results in this study, CeO2NPs at 250 and 500 mg/l through foliar application at reproductive stage showed strong effect on improvement of morpho-physiological and phytochemical characteristics in S. miltiorrhiza.