Synergy of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and silicon in regulation of AgNPs induced stress of rice seedlings

Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs), as an emerging pollutant, have been receiving significant attention as they deepen the concern regarding the issue of food security. Silicon (Si) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are likely to serve as a sustainable approach to ameliorating abiotic stress and improving plant growth through various mechanisms. The present study aims to evaluate the synergistic effect of Si and PGPRs on growth, physiological, and molecular response in rice seedlings ( Oryza sativa) ) under AgNPs stress. Data suggested that under AgNPs exposure, the root and shoot growth, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzymes (CAT and APX), expression of antioxidant genes ( OsAPX and OsGR), ), silicon transporter ( OsLsi2 ), and auxin hormone- related genes ( OsPIN10 and OsYUCCA1) ) were significantly decreased which accompanied with the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and might be due to higher accumulation of Ag in plant cells. Interestingly, the addition of Si along with the AgNPs enhances the level of ROS generation, thus oxidative stress, which causes severe damage in all the above-tested parameters. On the other hand, application of PGPR alone and along with Si reduced the toxic effect of AgNPs through the improvement of growth, biochemical, and gene regulation ( OsAPX and OsGR, , OsPIN10 and OsYUCCA1). ). However, the addition of LNAME along with PGPR and silicon drastically lowered the AgNPs induced toxicity through lowering the oxidative stress and maintained the overall growth of rice seedlings, which suggests the role of endogenous NO in Si and PGPRs mediated management of AgNPs toxicity in rice seedlings.