Selenium nanoparticle alleviates penthiopyrad-induced oxidative stress and restores the development and flavor quality of tomato fruit

Selenium nanoparticle (Se-NP) is promising for improving the growth, resistance and quality of crops, but there are still knowledge gaps in its molecular mechanism. Here we showed that 1mg/L Se-NP had positive effects on tomato fruit development and flavor quality. The co-application of Se-NP with penthiopyrad promoted the ascorbic acid-glutathione cycle and the main precursors of antioxidant compounds to resist Pen-induced oxidative stress, while also increasing the content of phytohormones, promoting the maturation of the fruit. Furthermore, Se-NP restored penthiopyrad stress-induced flavor loss of the fruit by regulating genes such as SUS1, TOMLOXC and AADC2, to increase levels of glucose, fructose, and volatile organic compounds at the transcriptional level. These findings revealed that Se-NP alleviated Pen-induced oxidative stress and restored tomato fruit development and flavor quality and highlighted the great potential of Se-NP-enabled agricultural practices as an eco-friendly and sustainable crop strategy.