علی سپهری

In order to investigate the effect of cerium nanoparticles on germination and physiological characteristics of camelina sativa under the influence of sodium nitroprusside and drought, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications in the Crop Physiology Research Laboratory of Bu Ali Sina University. The effects of cerium nanoparticles at concentrations of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/Land 100 μM of sodium nitroprusside under drought stress levels of 0, -0.4 and -0.8 MPa were investigated. Drought stress was associated with an increase in mean germination time and activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase enzymes and a decrease in rate and percentage of germination. Application of 500 mg/L nanoceria with 100 μM sodium nitroprusside increased germination percentage and seed vigour index under drought stress. The mentioned treatment increased the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase enzymes by 15.5%, 18.7% and 31.1%, respectively, and decreased the amount of malondialdehyde in camelina seedlings by 30.5%. Therefore, application of 500 mg/L nanoceria in the presence 100 μM of sodium nitroprusside reduces the adverse effects of drought stress in the early stages of growth and leads to better establishment of camellia seedling by improving germination indices and promoting the antioxidant defense system.