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<p>Agricultural productivity, soil health, and food safety are all seriously threatened by heavy metal pollution, especially mercury (Hg) from industrial sources. In susceptible crops like chickpeas (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> var. NIFA 2005), mercury impairs cellular metabolism, photosynthesis, and seed germination, resulting in oxidative stress and growth suppression. The individual and synergistic potential of zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe₂O₄ NPs) and six strains of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) in reducing mercury-induced toxicity in this variety (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> var. NIFA 2005) of chickpea was assessed for the first time that why they making this work unique. Chickpea seeds were grown for 15&#xa0;days under five treatments: T<sub>0</sub> (control), T<sub>1</sub> (8&#xa0;ppm Hg), T<sub>2</sub> (8&#xa0;ppm Hg + ZnFe₂O₄ NPs at 100&#xa0;mg L⁻<sup>1</sup>), T<sub>3</sub> (8&#xa0;ppm Hg + PGPR), and T<sub>4</sub> (8&#xa0;ppm Hg + ZnFe₂O₄ NPs + PGPR). ZnFe₂O₄ NPs (20–30&#xa0;nm) were applied as seed priming and soil amendment at a concentration of 100&#xa0;mg L<sup>−1</sup> and then 20&#xa0;ml to T<sub>2</sub> and T<sub>4</sub> treatment. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (p &lt; 0.05) in SPSS v23, with correlation and PCA analyses in OriginPro and Prism graph pad used for the Graph of the data. 8&#xa0;ppm Hg exposure resulted in a 45–50% drop in seedling vigour and germination rate, a 52% decrease in chlorophyll a, and a 48% decrease in total biomass. But when PGPR and ZnFe₂O₄ NP were added in the same setting (8&#xa0;ppm Hg), treatment (T<sub>4</sub>) greatly enhanced these parameters, boosting biomass by 72%, chlorophyll a by 89%, and germination by 68% in comparison to plants under Hg stress. Stronger resistance to oxidative stress was demonstrated by T4's increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 112% and its reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) and malondialdehyde (MDA) by 61% and 58%, respectively. Leaf anatomy had almost fully recovered, according to microscopic examinations, and the stomatal opening had returned to control-like proportions (about 6.7&#xa0;μm). The combined PGPR-ZnFe₂O₄ NP treatment, as shown by our data, offers a sustainable method to increase crop resilience and production in soils polluted by mercury by promoting detoxification, nutrient control, and redox balance. Plants and soil microbiota did not exhibit any negative consequences from short-term exposure to these treatments; however, it is yet unknown what effects could arise from longer-term exposure.</p>

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Synergistic Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria and Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles in Mitigating Mercury Stress in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月17日

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  • Waqar Younas,
  • Hina Khan,
  • Humera Amin,
  • Sami Ullah,
  • Abd Ullah,
  • Usman Ali,
  • Muhammad Nafees,
  • Fazal Amin,
  • Iftikhar Ahmed,
  • Tanveer Hussain,
  • Mohamed Taha Yassin,
  • Rashid Iqbal

摘要

Agricultural productivity, soil health, and food safety are all seriously threatened by heavy metal pollution, especially mercury (Hg) from industrial sources. In susceptible crops like chickpeas (Cicer arietinum var. NIFA 2005), mercury impairs cellular metabolism, photosynthesis, and seed germination, resulting in oxidative stress and growth suppression. The individual and synergistic potential of zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe₂O₄ NPs) and six strains of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) in reducing mercury-induced toxicity in this variety (Cicer arietinum var. NIFA 2005) of chickpea was assessed for the first time that why they making this work unique. Chickpea seeds were grown for 15 days under five treatments: T0 (control), T1 (8 ppm Hg), T2 (8 ppm Hg + ZnFe₂O₄ NPs at 100 mg L⁻1), T3 (8 ppm Hg + PGPR), and T4 (8 ppm Hg + ZnFe₂O₄ NPs + PGPR). ZnFe₂O₄ NPs (20–30 nm) were applied as seed priming and soil amendment at a concentration of 100 mg L−1 and then 20 ml to T2 and T4 treatment. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (p < 0.05) in SPSS v23, with correlation and PCA analyses in OriginPro and Prism graph pad used for the Graph of the data. 8 ppm Hg exposure resulted in a 45–50% drop in seedling vigour and germination rate, a 52% decrease in chlorophyll a, and a 48% decrease in total biomass. But when PGPR and ZnFe₂O₄ NP were added in the same setting (8 ppm Hg), treatment (T4) greatly enhanced these parameters, boosting biomass by 72%, chlorophyll a by 89%, and germination by 68% in comparison to plants under Hg stress. Stronger resistance to oxidative stress was demonstrated by T4's increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 112% and its reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) by 61% and 58%, respectively. Leaf anatomy had almost fully recovered, according to microscopic examinations, and the stomatal opening had returned to control-like proportions (about 6.7 μm). The combined PGPR-ZnFe₂O₄ NP treatment, as shown by our data, offers a sustainable method to increase crop resilience and production in soils polluted by mercury by promoting detoxification, nutrient control, and redox balance. Plants and soil microbiota did not exhibit any negative consequences from short-term exposure to these treatments; however, it is yet unknown what effects could arise from longer-term exposure.