Seed priming in nanoparticles of water treatment residual can increase the germination and growth of cucumber seedling under salinity stress

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was carried out to evaluate the impact of the nanoparticles of water treatment residuals (nWTRs) and salt stress on germination and growth parameters of cucumber seedling. The interaction between three nWTRs treatments (0, 500, and 1000 mgL−1) nWTRs and five saline solution (fresh water: sea water) treatments had 0.70, 2, 3, 6, and 11 dSm−1 were studied. The results revealed that increasing salinity levels significantly reduced the percentage of germination (GP) for the primed seeds treated in fresh water and nWTRs. The GP reduction was higher in seeds primed in fresh water compared to which primed in nWTRs. Salt stress negatively affected radicle length of cucumber seedling for both priming treatments. However, this impact was more pronounced for the primed seeds treated in fresh water than which treated in nWTRs at high salinity stress. Priming in nWTRs significantly decreased the root radius of cucumber seedlings, and the1000 mgL−1 priming treatment obtained a lowest value of radicle radius. Increasing salt concentration in culture medium reduced total biomass of cucumber seedling, however for the primed seeds treated in nWTRs, the total biomass was increased in comparison with which treated in fresh water. Salt tolerance and vigor indices were significantly (p < 0.01) affected by salinity levels, nWTRs treatments and their interaction. It can be concluded that nWTRs are ameliorating materials for plant growth under salt stress conditions.