Abstract
In agriculture, soil-borne fungal pathogens, especially Fusarium oxysporum strains, are posing a serious threat to efforts to achieve global food security. In the search for safer agrochemicals, silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) have recently been proposed as a new tool to alleviate pathogen damage including Fusarium wilt. Hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs), a unique class of SiO2NPs, have been widely accepted as desirable carriers for pesticides. However, their roles in enhancing disease resistance in plants and the specific mechanism remain unknown. In this study, three sizes of HMSNs (19, 96, and 406 nm as HMSNs-19, HMSNs-96, and HMSNs-406, respectively) were synthesized and characterized to determine their effects on seed germination, seedling growth, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli (FOP) suppression. The three HMSNs exhibited no side effects on cowpea seed germination and seedling growth at concentrations ranging from 100 to 1500 mg/L. The inhibitory effects of the three HMSNs on FOP mycelial growth were very weak, showing inhibition ratios of less than 20% even at 2000 mg/L. Foliar application of HMSNs, however, was demonstrated to reduce the FOP severity in cowpea roots in a size- and concentration-dependent manner. The three HMSNs at a low concentration of 100 mg/L, as well as HMSNs-19 at a high concentration of 1000 mg/L, were observed to have little effect on alleviating the disease incidence. HMSNs-406 were most effective at a concentration of 1000 mg/L, showing an up to 40.00% decline in the disease severity with significant growth-promoting effects on cowpea plants. Moreover, foliar application of HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L) increased the salicylic acid (SA) content in cowpea roots by 4.3-fold, as well as the expression levels of SA marker genes of PR-1 (by 1.97-fold) and PR-5 (by 9.38-fold), and its receptor gene of NPR-1 (by 1.62-fold), as compared with the FOP infected control plants. Meanwhile, another resistance-related gene of PAL was also upregulated by 8.54-fold. Three defense-responsive enzymes of POD, PAL, and PPO were also involved in the HMSNs-enhanced disease resistance in cowpea roots, with varying degrees of reduction in activity. These results provide substantial evidence that HMSNs exert their Fusarium wilt suppression in cowpea plants by activating SA-dependent SAR (systemic acquired resistance) responses rather than directly suppressing FOP growth. Overall, for the first time, our results indicate a new role of HMSNs as a potent resistance inducer to serve as a low-cost, highly efficient, safe and sustainable alternative for plant disease protection.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
HMSNs had no side effects on cowpea germination and seedling growth at 100–1500 mg/L.
- Taxon
- cowpea
Vigna unguiculatae0 - Treatment
- three HMSNse0
- Outcome
- seed germination and seedling growthe0
- Direction
- no side effectse0
- Value
- 100 to 1500 mg/Le0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The three HMSNs exhibited no side effects on cowpea seed germination and seedling growth at concentrations ranging from 100 to 1500 mg/L”
Claim · model-written summary
The three HMSNs weakly inhibited FOP mycelial growth, below 20% even at 2000 mg/L.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- three HMSNse0
- Interactor
- FOPe0pathogen
- Outcome
- FOP mycelial growthe0
- Direction
- inhibitorye0
- Value
- less than 20%e0
- Qualifier
- even at 2000 mg/Le0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The inhibitory effects of the three HMSNs on FOP mycelial growth were very weak, showing inhibition ratios of less than 20% even at 2000 mg/L”
t0“cowpea seed germination”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar HMSNs reduced FOP severity in cowpea roots depending on size and concentration.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Foliar application of HMSNse0
- Interactor
- FOPe0pathogen
- Outcome
- FOP severity in cowpea rootse0
- Direction
- reducee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar application of HMSNs, however, was demonstrated to reduce the FOP severity in cowpea roots in a size- and concentration-dependent manner”
Claim · model-written summary
Low-dose HMSNs and high-dose HMSNs-19 had little effect on disease incidence.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- three HMSNs at a low concentration of 100 mg/Le0
- Outcome
- disease incidencee0
- Direction
- little effecte0
FusariumNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The three HMSNs at a low concentration of 100 mg/L, as well as HMSNs-19 at a high concentration of 1000 mg/L, were observed to have little effect on alleviating the disease incidence”
t0“cowpea seed germination”
e2“HMSNs exert their Fusarium wilt suppression in cowpea plants by activating SA-dependent SAR (systemic acquired resistance) responses rather than directly suppressing FOP growth”
Claim · model-written summary
HMSNs-406 at 1000 mg/L reduced disease severity by up to 40.00%.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- HMSNs-406e0
- Outcome
- disease severitye0
- Direction
- declinee0
- Value
- up to 40.00%e0
- Qualifier
- at a concentration of 1000 mg/Le0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“HMSNs-406 were most effective at a concentration of 1000 mg/L, showing an up to 40.00% decline in the disease severity”
t0“cowpea seed germination”
e2“HMSNs exert their Fusarium wilt suppression in cowpea plants by activating SA-dependent SAR (systemic acquired resistance) responses rather than directly suppressing FOP growth”
Claim · model-written summary
HMSNs-406 promoted cowpea plant growth.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Treatment
- HMSNs-406t0
- Outcome
- growth-promoting effectse0
- Direction
- growth-promotinge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“with significant growth-promoting effects on cowpea plants”
t0“HMSNs-406 were most effective at a concentration of 1000 mg/L”
Claim · model-written summary
HMSNs-406 increased root SA content 4.3-fold against infected controls.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- foliar application of HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)e0
- Outcome
- salicylic acid (SA) contente0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 4.3-folde0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“foliar application of HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L) increased the salicylic acid (SA) content in cowpea roots by 4.3-fold”
Claim · model-written summary
HMSNs-406 increased PR-1 expression 1.97-fold.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)e1
- Gene
- PR-1e0
- Outcome
- expression levelse0
- Value
- 1.97-folde0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“expression levels of SA marker genes of PR-1 (by 1.97-fold) and PR-5 (by 9.38-fold)”
t0“cowpea seed germination”
e1“foliar application of HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)”
Claim · model-written summary
HMSNs-406 increased PR-5 expression 9.38-fold.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)e1
- Gene
- PR-5e0
- Outcome
- expression levelse0
- Value
- 9.38-folde0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“expression levels of SA marker genes of PR-1 (by 1.97-fold) and PR-5 (by 9.38-fold)”
t0“cowpea seed germination”
e1“foliar application of HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)”
Claim · model-written summary
HMSNs-406 increased NPR-1 expression 1.62-fold.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)e1
- Gene
- NPR-1e0
- Outcome
- receptor genee0
- Value
- 1.62-folde0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“its receptor gene of NPR-1 (by 1.62-fold)”
t0“cowpea seed germination”
e1“foliar application of HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)”
Claim · model-written summary
PAL was upregulated 8.54-fold.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)e1
- Gene
- PALe0
- Outcome
- resistance-related genee0
- Direction
- upregulatede0
- Value
- 8.54-folde0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“another resistance-related gene of PAL was also upregulated by 8.54-fold”
t0“cowpea seed germination”
e1“foliar application of HMSNs-406 (1000 mg/L)”
Claim · model-written summary
POD, PAL and PPO enzyme activities were reduced to varying degrees.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- HMSNse0
- Gene
- POD, PAL, and PPOe0
- Outcome
- activitye0
- Direction
- reductione0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Three defense-responsive enzymes of POD, PAL, and PPO were also involved in the HMSNs-enhanced disease resistance in cowpea roots, with varying degrees of reduction in activity”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors attributed wilt suppression to SA-dependent systemic acquired resistance.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Treatment
- HMSNse0
- Interactor
- FOPe0pathogen
- Outcome
- Fusarium wilt suppressione0
- Qualifier
- activating SA-dependent SAR (systemic acquired resistance) responsese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“HMSNs exert their Fusarium wilt suppression in cowpea plants by activating SA-dependent SAR (systemic acquired resistance) responses rather than directly suppressing FOP growth”
The same questions in other papers
application · disease · Vigna unguiculata (cowpea)Positive and negative results
15 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
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