Zinc is an important nutrient for several plants and humans. Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical that is important to biological processes that mediate the growth and mitigation of biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. The present study investigated the enzymatic and photosynthetic profile and the accumulation of macro- and microelements in rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) that received foliar treatments of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), nitric oxide donor (GSNO), and the association of both (GSNO-ZnO NPs). Zinc concentration in rice husks increased by 66% and 68% in plants treated with ZnO NPs and GSNO-ZnO NPs, respectively. The GSNO treatment caused an increase of 25% in the Fe concentration in the rice grains. Only a small disturbance of the antioxidant system was observed, with increases in H2O2, S-NO, and NO2-, mainly in the group treated with GSNO-ZnO NPs; however, the disturbance did not affect the yield, the growth, or vital processes, such as as photosynthetic pigments production. There was an increase in chlorophyll B of 290% and an increase in chlorophyll A of 187% when ZnO NPs was applied. GSNO-ZnO NPs increased chlorophyll B by 345% and chlorophyll A by 345%, indicating that the treatments GSNO, ZnO NPs, and GSNO-ZnO NPs reduced possible oxidative stress and helped as protective treatments.
Keywords: mineral profile; nitric oxide donor; photosynthetic pigments; rice; zinc oxide nanoparticles.