Mn3O4 Nanoenzyme Seed Soaking Enhanced Salt Tolerance in Soybean Through Modulating Homeostasis of Reactive Oxygen Species and ATPase Activities

Soybean, an important cash crop, is often affected by soil salinity, which is one of the important types of abiotic stress that affects its growth. Poly (acrylic) acid coated Mn₃O₄ (PMO) has been reported to play a vital role in defending against a variety of abiotic stresses in plants. To date, the effects of PMOs on soybean have not been reported; this study explored the mechanism of PMO-enhanced soybean germination under salt stress. In this experiment, 100 mg/L PMO was used as an immersion agent with a salt treatment of 150 mM NaCl. The results showed that when compared with the PMO treatment, salt stress significantly decreased the germination rate, fresh weight, carbohydrate content, and antioxidant enzyme activity of soybean and significantly increased the contents of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and osmoregulatory substances. However, PMO treatment enhanced the antioxidant defense system and significantly reduced the malondialdehyde content of soybean. Moreover, the activities of H⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-ATPase were significantly higher in treated soybean than in the control, and the content of ATP was also higher in treated soybean than in the control. Generally, PMO regulates the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species and reduces ATP consumption, thereby improving the ability of soybeans to germinate under salt stress. This study provides new insights into how nanomaterials improve plant salt tolerance.