Real-time detection of the nanoparticle induced phytotoxicity in rice root tip through the visible red emissions of Eu3+ ions.

Abstract

Phytotoxicity is one of the most important factors involved in the reduction of crop production. With the introduction of NaBiF4 nanoparticles, the effect of the particle size (>50 nm) on rice development was systematically studied. Through the exogenous treatment of multiple concentrations of nanoparticles, the primary root length, lateral root number, and lateral root length were significantly inhibited under higher content of nanoparticles, but more crown root formation was induced, which might be due to phytotoxicity. With the help of the red emission of the Eu3+-activated NaBiF4 nanoparticles, we could infer that the nanoparticles were accumulated in the root tip cells in the division and elongation zone but not in the mature region. Additionally, the investigation on the influence of the studied nanoparticles on the gene level and the expression of phytotoxicity related genes was performed to further identify the effect of the nanoparticles on the rice root development. These results potentially explain the effect of larger nanoparticles on phytotoxicity in the plant roots.