Pre-planting application of colloidal silver nanoparticles enhances bulb yield of Lilium grown under NaCl stress

The unique properties of nanoparticles arouse great interest in horticulture due to the possible improve the resistance of plant to environmental stresses. Lilies are among the most important bulbous plants. However, limited information is available on lilies response to nanoparticles under salt stress. In this work we investigated the effects of colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and NaCl (2.32 mS cm^-1) on the growth, flowering and bulb yield of potted asian lily ‘Bright Pixi’. Compared with the control, lilies treated with AgNPs showed an increase in plant height, plant fresh weight, relative chlorophyll content, tepal length, tepal width, and bulb yield. AgNPs also affected plant flowering, as manifested by accelerated anthesis. NaCl treatment decreased the leaf length, plant fresh weight, relative chlorophyll content, tepal length, and bulb yield. AgNPs applied under saline condition improved the fresh weight of bulbs, bulb diameter and the number of scales per bulb. Our results demonstrated that AgNPs enhanced bulb yield of NaCl-stressed lily plants.