Evaluation of soybean sprouting growth vigor based on ZnONPs

Introduction: Nanoparticle-induced treatments can promote seed germination and improve germination potential under environmental stresses such as drought and salinity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on soybean seed germination and to develop a precise evaluation method. Methods: We developed a full-time sequence crop growth vitality monitoring system. Using germination rate and root length as primary evaluation indicators, we conducted full-time sequence germination vitality monitoring experiments on soybean seeds treated with ZnONPs. A dataset was constructed from images documenting embryonic root growth. The developed detection model was used to evaluate image detection accuracy during germination. Germination index and embryonic root length were also calculated. Further tests were performed on seeds exposed to 600 mg/L ZnONPs dispersion, followed by treatment with different concentrations of NaCl and PEG6000 solutions. Results: At a concentration of 600 mg/L ZnONPs dispersion, soybean seeds showed the highest germination rate (an increase of 28%) and the longest radicle length (an increase of 42%). Compared with deionized water, the 600 mg/L ZnONPs dispersion accelerated initial germination time, increased germination rate, and enhanced radicle length under low-concentration stress. Discussion: The results indicate that, at certain concentrations, ZnONPs dispersion positively influences soybean seed germination under varying salinity and drought conditions. We examined morphological and physiological changes in ZnONPs-treated seeds under stress, establishing a preliminary foundation for evaluating crop and variety vitality. These findings provide new insights that may contribute to improving soybean germination under simulated stress conditions, serving as a preliminary theoretical reference for potential applications in arid and saline environments.