Comparative analysis of germination performance from several species of seeds under influence of silica nanoparticles

Abstract

The first and most critical phase in growing crops is seed germination. Failure and slower germination process may have an impact on productivity. As a result, numerous strategies are needed to hasten germination and improving the quality of the seedlings. One possible strategy is the use of nanoparticles. This present study used colloidal silica nanoparticles (8 - 10 nm) with concentrations of 0 (control), 100, and 1000 mg/L. Seeds from six different species were used (Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, Cucumis sativus, Solanum melongena, Solanum lycopersicum, and Daucus carota). Seeds were germinated in dark condition for eight consecutive days. The result showed that the use of silica nanoparticles may shorten the germination time while increasing the germination index and coefficient of velocity of germination in C. annuum, C. frutescens, C. sativus, and S. lycopersicum. However, the observed effect was not very strong compared to the control. This could be due to the seeds utilized were not in dormant stage and had rather high viability. On the other hand, we found that silica nanoparticles could alter the structure of the seed coat, allowing for easier water imbibition for germination.