@misc{10481/108062,
year = {2025},
month = {11},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/108062},
abstract = {Nanotechnology is an emerging alternative to conventional phytochemicals for improving crop productivity and
maintaining the postharvest fruit quality sustainably. In this work, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized by reduction of sodium selenite with ascorbic acid and stabilized with the natural polysaccharide
dextrin. These SeNPs averaged 27 nm in diameter and featured an amorphous structure, exhibiting a high
antioxidant capacity at ≥ 10 mg L− 1
, and effective scavenging activity for reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl
radical and hydrogen peroxide) at concentrations as low as 1 mg L− 1
. Applied to seedlings of edible leaf plant
(lettuce), these SeNPs enhanced plant growth, particularly root growth, and salinity tolerance, being 5 mg L− 1
the optimum concentration. The SeNPs also showed antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, the main causal
agent of gray mold in postharvest fruits: in vitro, SeNPs at 1 mg L− 1 caused a complete growth inhibition of
B. cinerea, while in vivo, SeNPs at 10 mg L− 1 proved effective in preventing gray mold on grapes, raspberries and
strawberries. As selenium could be incorporated into edible parts of the plant, and due to the interest in selenium
fortification, the toxicity of SeNPs in humans was checked using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system. Their
low toxicity in this animal model, together with the positive effect on seedlings growth and salinity tolerance,
and postharvest antifungal activity, lay the foundation for future research in the implementation of these SeNPs
in the agri-food industry.},
organization = {University of Granada, the Institute of Biotechnology of the University of Granada (IBt-UGR) and the Project
IIIMP1},
publisher = {Elsevier},
keywords = {Selenite},
keywords = {Nanotechnology},
keywords = {Antioxidant},
title = {Selenium nanoparticles enhance plant tolerance to salinity and protect from postharvest fungal infection},
doi = {10.1016/j.plana.2025.100217},
author = {Sierra, Sandra and Ortega-Muñoz, Mariano and Sánchez Aranda, Patricia and Castro-Cegrí, Alejandro and Sampedro Quesada, María Inmaculada and Pérez-Bueno, María Luisa and Garrido Garrido, Dolores and Palma Martín, Francisco José},
}