Electrospun CeO₂ nanoparticle-integrated seed coating for real-time electrochemical monitoring of germination stress and stimulation in Vigna radiata
摘要
This study presents a nanoengineered seed coating formulation comprising electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), green-synthesized CeO₂ nanoparticles, and essential nutrients to assess germination dynamics, stress responses, and electrochemical signatures during nutrient uptake in Vigna radiata. Seed viability and seedling growth were evaluated through manual measurements and electrochemical techniques, including potentiostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (PEIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The optimized nanoformulation (S3), with minimal CeO₂ content, exhibited superior germination rates, seedling vigor, and biomass accumulation. Extensive physicochemical characterization of CeO₂ nanoparticles and electrospun membranes was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. XRD confirmed the formation of pure-phase cubic CeO₂ with an average crystallite size of 9.69 nm, corroborated by a prominent Raman band at 463 cm⁻¹. FTIR spectral features at 848, 726, and 419 cm⁻¹ validated Ce–O–Ce stretching vibrations, confirming successful green synthesis. FE-SEM revealed spherical CeO₂ nanoparticles, while variations in CeO₂ content within the nanofibrous membranes influenced fiber morphology, with lower CeO₂ concentrations exhibiting a bead-fiber network with diameters below 100 nm. Electrochemical analysis revealed that CeO₂ concentration modulates nutrient uptake kinetics and stress response, influencing germination efficiency and seedling development. These findings establish CeO₂-integrated electrospun seed coatings as a potential strategy for real-time electrochemical monitoring, controlled nutrient release, and enhanced seedling establishment, offering advanced applications in nanomaterial-assisted agriculture.