Impact of Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles on Growth, Pigment Content, Membrane Stability, DNA Damage, and Stress-Related Gene Expression in Vicia faba under Saline Conditions

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO<inf>2</inf>) on Vicia faba under salinity stress. Plants were treated with either 10 or 20 ppm nTiO<inf>2</inf> and subjected to two different concentrations of salinity (100 and 200 mM NaCl) as well as the combined effect of nanoparticles and salinity. Salinity induced a reduction in dry weight, increased electron leakage and MDA content, increased chromosomal aberrations and DNA damage, and reduced transcript levels of some stress- and growth-related genes. nTiO<inf>2</inf> treatment increased dry weight in unstressed plants and mitigated the salinity-damaging effect in stressed plants. nTiO<inf>2</inf> application improved cell division, decreased chromosomal aberrations, and reduced DNA damage in plants under saline conditions. The upregulation of antioxidant genes further supports the protective role of nTiO<inf>2</inf> against oxidative stress. Particularly significant was the ability of nTiO<inf>2</inf> to enhance the upregulation of heat shock protein (HSP) genes. These findings underscore the potential of nTiO<inf>2</inf> to reduce the osmotic and toxic effects of salinity-induced stress in plants. © 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.