Mitigation Potential of bio-fabricated selenium nanoparticles on arsenic induced stress in morpho-physiological growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

Arsenic (As) is a highly toxic metalloid that presents a major environmental hazard. Extensive contamination of agricultural soils by As is a global concern, necessitating the development of effective and cost-efficient strategies to mitigate its impact on food safety. Although selenium (Se) has been recognized for its antagonistic interactions with As, the potential of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in mitigating As toxicity remains underexplored. In this study, biocompatible SeNPs were synthesized via a green approach using Vitis vinifera raisin extract and applied to rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings (HUR-105) through priming, co-application, and foliar spraying under As stress. Arsenic exposure significantly (p ≤ 0.01) impaired seedling growth by disturbing nutrient homeostasis, reducing chlorophyll biosynthesis, and weakening membrane stability. Application of SeNPs, particularly at 25 μM foliar concentration, substantially alleviated these effects by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity, stimulating secondary metabolite production, and improving photosynthetic efficiency. Biochemical analyses revealed pronounced increases in chlorophyll (50%), carbohydrate (45%), soluble protein (48%), and free amino acid (44%) contents, alongside a 38% enhancement in membrane stability index. These findings indicate that SeNPs serves as an effective reactive oxygen species (ROS) quencher, mitigates As-induced oxidative damage by reinforcing redox homeostasis and metabolic activity. The study underscores the potential of SeNPs as a nanotechnological intervention to enhance stress resilience in rice, while highlighting the necessity of field-scale evaluations to establish dose optimization and long-term applicability under variable As conditions.