Óxido de grafeno na germinação de sementes de grama bermuda (Cynodon Dactylon (L.) Pers.)

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) is a carbon-derived nanomaterial characterized by high surface area and hydrophilicity, and its use in agriculture has emerged due to its potential to enhance seed germination and early plant growth. This study investigated the effect of GO on the germination of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) seeds. The experiment was conducted in two stages: (1) evaluation of germination, root morphology, and physiological parameters under non-stress conditions, and (2) evaluation of the same parameters under salt stress. In the first stage, seeds were imbibed in GO concentrations (0.125, 0.25, 0.50, and 1 g L−1) in a completely randomized design. Based on these results, the 0.125 and 0.25 g L−1 concentrations were selected for the second stage under salt stress (25, 50, and 100 mM NaCl). In the absence of salt stress, GO enhanced germination, root morphology, and photosynthetic activity of Bermuda grass. Under salt stress, GO partially mitigated the adverse effects of salinity on germination and root growth. In the photosynthetic apparatus, GO maintained the stability of photosystem II even under salinity, although the greatest benefits were observed in the absence of stress. These results indicate that GO has potential as a mitigator of salt stress in Bermuda grass, with efficacy depending on the dose and the evaluated parameter.