Nano-priming with selenium nanoparticles reprograms seed germination, antioxidant defense, and phenylpropanoid metabolism to enhance Fusarium graminearum resistance in maize seedlings

作者：Qinyong Dong, Tingjie Huang, Chunran Zhou, Xiaoying Wan, Xu-Jia He, Peijuan Miao, Haiyan Cheng, Xi Wang, Huan Yu, Mufan Hu, Dong Li, Bin Qu, Yangliu Wu, Jiaqi Li, Canping Pan · 发表于：Journal of Advanced Research · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.jare.2025.05.057 · 被引用次数：22 · 研究领域：Selenium in Biological Systems、Mycotoxins in Agriculture and Food、Silicon Effects in Agriculture

INTRODUCTION: Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) threatens maize through stem rot and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination. Conventional approaches like chemical seed coatings are constrained by limited long-term efficacy and environmental concerns such as soil residue accumulation. In contrast, selenium nanoparticle (SeNP) priming provides a sustainable and economically viable strategy, minimizing ecological footprints through rapid elemental bioconversion while enhancing disease resistance in agricultural systems. However, nanotechnology applications synchronizing seed enhancement with pathogen resistance remain underexplored. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to establish SeNP as a nano-priming agent for dual improvement of seed vigor and disease resistance in maize. METHODS: Combining widely-targeted metabolomics, transcriptomics, and physiological assays, the study compared the physiological and biochemical differences as well as antioxidant levels among the water (control group) and groups treated with 5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/L of SeNP. The optimal concentration for SeNP priming was determined to be 50 mg/L. Disease resistance was subsequently analyzed based on this optimal concentration in comparison to the control group. RESULTS: SeNP accelerated the conversion of starch-to-sugar and elevated glycolytic-TCA cycle flux. SeNP-priming activated JA signaling to redirect phenylpropanoid metabolites to phenolic acids (↑1.3-fold), correlating with 26.3 % reduced disease severit...