Efficiency of Using Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles to Increase Wheat Productivity in Soil and Climatic Conditions of Western Siberia

In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of silica nanoparticle (SiO₂NP) suspension for pre-sowing inoculation of spring wheat seeds under soil and climatic conditions of the Western Siberia. We report that SiO₂NP suspension at concentrations of 3 × 10⁻⁷% to 3 × 10⁻⁴% does not have a toxic effect on the culture of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and spring wheat. On the contrary, seed inoculation with nanoparticles increased seed germination by 15–40% relative to the control. The green mass yield of wheat seedlings exposed to SiO₂NPs also increased by 5–41% relative to the control. In field experiments, pre-sowing treatment of spring wheat with SiO₂NPs at concentrations of 3.0 × 10⁻⁴%, 1.5 × 10⁻⁴%, and 0.3 × 10⁻⁴% increased the main morphometric parameters of plants, such as height and green mass. Seed inoculation with SiO₂NPs improved plant productivity: the grain yield in the variant with the minimum (0.3 × 10⁻⁴%) and average (1.5 × 10⁻⁴%) concentrations of SiO₂NPs grew by 20.1% and 18.4%, respectively. Plants inoculated with SiO₂NPs showed higher resistance to root rot pathogens (Fusarium oxysporum and Bipolaris sorokiniana): the disease prevalence decreased by 16–33% and the disease incidence index grew by 7–14% relative to the control. Seed inoculation with SiO₂NPs increased the content of protein and important biogenic elements such as potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, and silicon in the grain.