Salinity and SiO₂ Impact on Growth and Biochemical Responses of Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.) Seedlings

Silicon has the ability in ameliorating the negative effect of salinity on plants by reducing ionic toxicity and maintaining plant water balance, reducing oxidative stress. The present paper examines the effects of saline stress (50mM and 100mM NaCl) applied singular and in combination with SiO2 on basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seedlings. Significant changes occurred in terms of shoot length, varying from 7.27 mm (50 mM NaCl) to 8.39 mm (50mM NaCl+SiNPs), and in the case of radicles, from 3.22 mm (SiNP) to 3.98 mm (100 mM NaCl), suggesting that salt treatment reduces shoot elongation, and SiO2 application could mitigate the saline stress effect. The activity of antioxidant enzymes in O. basilicum seedlings exposed to treatments, singular or in combination, was generally lower compared to the control. SiO2 supplement may contribute to the increase of salt tolerance, as reflected by the improvement of SOD and POD activity, especially in the combined treatment of 100 mM NaCl+SiO2.