Palladium nanoparticles improved phenotypic characters and alter DNA content in IUCN red listed endangered plant species Pterocarpus santalinus L.

The endangered plant species are facing high risk of extinction due to habitat loss, climate change, overexploitation, various invasive species and pathogenic plant diseases in the world. The research aims to conserve endangered plants through genetic improvement with mutations by nanoparticles for survival and adaptability under natural extreme climatic conditions in the forest. This research work investigated the potential effects of Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) on endangered plant Pterocarpus santalinus L. ( P. santalinus ). The Pd NPs were synthesized with green plant Lantana camara L. extract and characterized with various analytical techniques such as UV–visible spectroscopy, particle size analyzer, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) for their properties and characteristics, the average particles size was 73 nm. The P. santalinus seeds were treated with various concentrations 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mgL −1 of NPs and D/W for control completed in the Petri dishes; the NPs significantly enhanced the growth parameters such as germination, root, and shoot, leaves number, width, length and also photosynthetic pigments. In plant leaf total 26 phytocompounds were identified by GC–MS analysis such as fatty acids, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics, heterocyclic aromatic, and nitrogen compounds. The flow cytometric analysis result increased the DNA content 0.853 pg (mutant) of plants. The molecular markers RAPD and ISSR analysis confirmed DNA polymorphism and mutation in treated plants at higher concentrations. The diameter of cells was increased in 100 and 200 mgL −1 NPs treatments due to the NPs interaction with cellular metabolism. The NPs induced molecular alteration due to interaction with nucleus and DNA molecules in the cells. The results demonstrated that Pd NPs induced mutation and improved plants morphological characters and increased growth rate, chlorophylls, reduced climate stress and enhanced the plants stability in natural habitat.