The application of nanotechnology is a novel way of plant nutrition and a valuable technique to reduce environmental hazards by increasing yields in different agricultural sectors. In order to evaluate the content of secondary metabolites and some physiological traits of saffron a completely randomized design with 5 replications was conducted in a greenhouse, under the influence on 2 mM nano elicitor of silica concentration. The results showed that the highest amounts of crocin, picrocrocin, crocetin and safranal were obtained by nano silica treatment with 29.65%, 24.62%, 0.06% and 0.08%, respectively. The most value of inhibitory power of IC50 was due to the application of nano-silica treatment. The highest activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase was observed in nano silica and the lowest in control. The highest amount of hydrogen peroxide was observed in 2 mM nano silica treatment with 19.85 (μmol/g). The highest proline content was 57.20 μmol/g and the highest amount of hydrogen peroxide was 68.57% in 2 mM nano silica. The highest amounts of chlorophyll a, b and total were obtained with 9.78, 2.91, and 13.02 mg / g in 2 mM nano silica, respectively.

Keywords: antioxidant enzymes, picrocrocin, proline, safranal, photosynthetic pigments, crocin

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