Investigating the Effect of Green Copper Nanoparticles on Physiological and Biochemical Parameters of Common Bean Plants Under Salinity Stress

Subject Areas : Environmental physiology

fatemeh naghavi ¹ , sayed mohammad reza khoshroo ² , maryam Kazemipour ³ , mehrnaz Mahmoudi Zarandi ⁴

1 - Department of Biology, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran
2 - , Department of Biology, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran
3 - Department of Chemistry, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran
4 - Department of Biology, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran

Received: 2025-05-13 Accepted : 2025-08-14

Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes, Salinity stress, Photosynthetic pigments, Pinto bean, Green copper nanoparticles,

Abstract :

Soil and water salinity, a major agricultural challenge worldwide, limits crop growth and productivity. As a novel technology, nanotechnology holds the potential for enhancing plant resistance to environmental stresses. This study evaluated the pinto bean's physiological and biochemical responses (Phaseolus vulgaris) to applying green-synthesized copper nanoparticles (Aloe vera extract) under salinity stress conditions. The experiment was conducted as a factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design with two factors: four levels of sodium chloride salinity (0, 40, 80, and 120 mM) and four levels of copper nanoparticles (0, 20, 60, and 150 mg/L), with three replications. Results showed that salinity stress significantly (P<0.05) decreased the content of chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids. The activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and peroxidase increased at low salinity concentrations but decreased at the 120 mM concentration. A significant interaction between salinity stress and copper nanoparticles was observed. Notably, applying copper nanoparticles (especially at 150 mg/L under 120 mM salinity) increased chlorophyll a, carotenoids, and catalase activity while decreasing chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and peroxidase activity. These findings indicate the potential of green copper nanoparticles to modulate the response of pinto beans to salinity stress, although the observed effects are concentration-dependent.

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