Seed priming with boron-based nanoparticles mitigates tomato losses in hyperthermia stress

School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, 72453 Puebla, Mexico

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Abstract

Global climate change can increase the frequency and severity of hyperthermia stress, which critically affects seed germination, a process essential to crop production. In this study, we investigated the potential of bare boron nanoparticles (B NPs) and B NPs coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (B-PVP NPs) at 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L as seed priming agents for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) to mitigate losses caused by hyperthermia-induced stress (+45° C). Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed that B-based NPs were in B2O3 chemical composition with an irregular morphology, as well as the presence of PVP. Seed priming with B NPs increased germination viability through rate, potential, and index, while B-PVP NPs performed more efficiently at lower concentrations, although mean germination time remained unchanged in all treatments. Principal Component Analysis revealed that over 76% of the variance in germination is explained by rate, potential, and index. These results can be explained by boron being an essential nutrient crucial for wall integrity and cell membrane stability. This suggests that B-based nanopriming of tomato seeds can mitigate losses caused by hyperthermia, serving as a sustainable strategy to enhance tomato resilience under climate-induced stress conditions.