The American Journal of Agriculture and Biomedical
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TYPE
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ACCEPTED
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PUBLISHED
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VOLUME
Vol.07 Issue 01 2025
CITATION
Rahul Verma, Sara Al-Mutairi, Daniel Osei, & Jingwen Liu. (2025). Promoting
Early Root Architecture in Arabica Coffee via Seed Priming with Silicon
Nanoparticles. The American Journal of Agriculture and Biomedical
Engineering, 7(05), 1
–
5. Retrieved from
https://www.theamericanjournals.com/index.php/tajabe/article/view/6099
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
Promoting Early Root
Architecture in Arabica
Coffee via Seed Priming
with Silicon Nanoparticles
Rahul Verma
Department of Plant Sciences, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New
Delhi, India
Sara Al-Mutairi
Department of Crop Production, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia
Daniel Osei
Department of Agronomy, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Jingwen Liu
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou,
China
Abstract:
Seed priming has emerged as a promising
strategy to enhance seedling establishment and root
development in various crops. This study investigates
the effects of nanosilicon (SiNPs) priming on root
characteristics and seedling growth in Arabica coffee
(Coffea arabica) during its early stages. Arabica coffee is
particularly sensitive to environmental stressors, and
optimizing its early growth stages is crucial for
improving overall crop productivity. The application of
SiNPs has shown potential in enhancing root growth and
alleviating abiotic stress in other crops, but its effects on
coffee seedlings remain underexplored. This research
assesses the impact of SiNPs on root length, root
biomass, and root-to-shoot ratio in Arabica coffee
seedlings under controlled nursery conditions. Results
show significant improvements in root development,
suggesting that nanosilicon priming can promote early
seedling vigor, thereby enhancing the establishment of
coffee plants under challenging environmental
conditions. These findings open avenues for the
application of SiNPs in sustainable coffee production.
Keywords:
Coffea arabica, seed priming, nanosilicon,
root system architecture, seedling vigor, abiotic stress
tolerance, nanoparticle application, climate-resilient
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The American Journal of Agriculture and Biomedical Engineering
crops, coffee seedling development, sustainable
agriculture
.
Introduction:
The development of robust root systems
in young seedlings is critical for the successful
establishment and productivity of crops. In Arabica
coffee (
Coffea arabica
), the early stages of growth are
particularly sensitive to environmental stress factors
such as water scarcity, soil salinity, and nutrient
deficiencies (DaMatta et al., 2019) [1]. The Arabica
coffee industry is facing numerous challenges due to
climate change, which is altering the growing
conditions and affecting yields (Bunn et al., 2015) [2].
One potential solution is seed priming, a technique
where seeds are treated with various substances
before sowing to improve seedling vigor and stress
tolerance (Nile et al., 2022) [3].
Recent advancements in nanotechnology have
introduced the use of nanoparticles, such as
nanosilicon (SiNPs), for seed priming. Silicon, a non-
essential element for most plants, has been shown to
play a significant role in enhancing plant resilience to
stress, improving nutrient uptake, and promoting root
development (Hussain et al., 2019) [4]. SiNPs have
been particularly effective in improving root
morphology and overall seedling growth in various
crops, including wheat, rice, and soybeans (Kim et al.,
2014) [5]; (Tripathi et al., 2021) [6]. However, little is
known about the effect of SiNPs on the root
characteristics of Arabica coffee seedlings.
This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by examining
the effect of seed priming with SiNPs on root
development in Arabica coffee. Specifically, we
investigate whether nanosilicon priming can enhance
root length, biomass, and overall seedling growth at
the early stages of development. We hypothesize that
SiNPs will improve root characteristics, leading to
stronger seedlings that are better equipped to handle
environmental stresses.
Coffee (
Coffea arabica
and
Coffea canephora
) is one of
the most economically significant crops worldwide,
supporting the livelihoods of millions of farmers,
especially in tropical regions (Bunn et al., 2015;
DaMatta & Ramalho, 2006). However, coffee
cultivation
faces
increasing
challenges
from
environmental stresses such as drought, temperature
fluctuations, and soil nutrient limitations, which are
expected to worsen with ongoing climate change
(DaMatta et al., 2019; Koutouleas et al., 2022).
Consequently, there is a critical need for developing
coffee plants with enhanced resilience and
productivity under suboptimal growing conditions.
Seedling vigor and root system architecture are
fundamental traits that determine plant establishment,
growth, and ultimately yield (Atkinson et al., 2015; Silva
et al., 2020). Strong, well-developed root systems
enable better water and nutrient uptake, improving the
plant's ability to withstand abiotic stresses (Aiken &
Smucker, 1996; Calleja-Cabrera et al., 2020). In this
context, early-stage traits such as root length, root
surface area, and number of root tips have emerged as
important indicators of future plant performance (Foxx
& Kramer, 2020; Seethepalli et al., 2021).
Several innovative techniques have been proposed to
enhance seedling vigor, one of which is
seed priming
.
Seed priming is a pre-sowing treatment that initiates
metabolic processes necessary for germination,
improving seed performance under stress conditions
(Paul et al., 2022; Reed et al., 2022). A recent
advancement in this field is
nano-priming
, where
nanoparticles, such as silicon or zinc oxide, are used to
prime seeds. Studies have shown that nano-priming can
boost antioxidant defense, modulate hormonal
responses, and enhance root growth in various crops,
offering a promising strategy for climate-resilient
agriculture (Chandrasekaran et al., 2020; Nile et al.,
2022; Salam et al., 2022).
Particularly, silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) have attracted
attention for their ability to improve root system traits
and confer tolerance to abiotic stresses like drought and
salinity (Kim et al., 2014; Tripathi et al., 2021). In coffee,
while some research has examined traditional seed
priming methods (Fithriyyah et al., 2020; Lima et al.,
2021), there is limited information on the application of
nanotechnology-based priming techniques to enhance
root development and seedling establishment.
Thus, this study aims to investigate the effects of
different seed priming treatments, including nano-
priming with SiNPs, on the germination, seedling vigor,
and root architecture of coffee (
Coffea arabica
) under
controlled conditions. Understanding these effects
could pave the way for developing improved cultivation
practices that ensure sustainable coffee production
amidst climate variability.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seed Selection and Preparation
Arabica coffee seeds were obtained from a local nursery
specializing in high-quality coffee cultivars. The seeds
were cleaned and sorted to ensure uniformity in size
and quality. To prepare for priming, the seeds were
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soaked in a solution of nanosilicon (SiNPs) at
concentrations of 0, 5, and 10 ppm for 12 hours. The
SiNPs used in this study were synthesized according to
the methods described by Hussain et al. (2019) [4].
Experimental Design
The experiment was conducted under controlled
nursery conditions with a randomized complete block
design (RCBD) to evaluate the effect of nanosilicon
priming on root characteristics. The experimental
treatments included three levels of SiNPs (0, 5, and 10
ppm), with each treatment having four replicates. The
seeds were sown in plastic trays filled with a standard
potting mix, and the seedlings were grown under
standard light and temperature conditions for 30 days.
Root and Seedling Growth Measurements
At the end of the 30-day growth period, seedling
height, root length, and root biomass were measured.
The root-to-shoot ratio was calculated to assess the
balance between root and shoot growth. Root length
was measured using an image analysis system, and
root biomass was determined by drying the roots at
70°C for 48 hours (Seethepalli et al., 2021) [7]. The data
were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance
(ANOVA) with post hoc comparisons.
RESULTS
Root Length and Biomass
Seedlings treated with SiNPs at concentrations of 5 and
10 ppm exhibited significantly longer roots compared
to the control group (0 ppm). The root length increased
by 35% in seedlings treated with 5 ppm SiNPs and by
47% in seedlings treated with 10 ppm SiNPs. Similarly,
root biomass showed a significant increase in the SiNP-
treated groups. Root biomass increased by 28% at 5
ppm and 42% at 10 ppm compared to the control
group (Figure 1).
Root-to-Shoot Ratio
The root-to-shoot ratio was significantly higher in
seedlings treated with SiNPs at 5 ppm and 10 ppm
concentrations. The root-to-shoot ratio increased by
20% and 30%, respectively, compared to the control
group. This suggests that SiNP priming not only
promotes root development but also enhances the
overall growth of the seedlings (Figure 2).
DISCUSSION
Our results demonstrate that seed priming with
nanosilicon significantly enhances root characteristics
and overall seedling growth in Arabica coffee. The
observed increases in root length, biomass, and root-to-
shoot ratio are consistent with previous studies on other
crops, where SiNPs improved root morphology and
stress tolerance (Tripathi et al., 2022) [6]; (Hussain et al.,
2019) [4]. Silicon has been shown to improve root
architecture by promoting the formation of lateral
roots, which can enhance water and nutrient uptake
(Kim et al., 2014) [5]. In Arabica coffee, this could
translate into better seedling establishment and
improved resilience to environmental stresses, which
are critical factors for coffee production in the face of
climate change (Bunn et al., 2015) [2].
The significant improvement in root development
observed at the 10 ppm SiNP concentration suggests
that higher concentrations of SiNPs may be more
effective in promoting root growth in coffee seedlings.
However, further research is needed to determine the
optimal concentration for Arabica coffee, as excessive
silicon may have adverse effects on plant growth (Paul
et al., 2022) [8].
CONCLUSION
This study highlights the potential of seed priming with
nanosilicon to enhance root characteristics and seedling
growth in Arabica coffee. By improving root
development, SiNPs could help mitigate the effects of
climate change and enhance the sustainability of coffee
production. Future research should explore the long-
term effects of SiNP priming on coffee plant
development and yield, as well as its potential for use in
large-scale coffee farming.
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