C⁶⁰ hydrated fullerenes stimulate the plant growth at early Stage

A. Tykhomyrov1, L. Boguslavskaya1, V. Klochkov2, and G. Andrievsky2 Dnepropetrovsk National University, 49050 Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine
2STC "Institute for Single Crystals", 61001 Kharkov, Ukraine

Till now the biological effects of aqueous molecular-colloidal solutions of C60 hydrated fullerene (C60HyFn) known as "FWS" [1, 2] were generally investigated using in vitro and in vivo animal models [3-5]. There is lack of information concerning its affection of living plants. The aim of present study was to investigate growth parameters and peroxidase activity of Zea mays L. (Dneprovsky-310 breed) seeds treated with C60HyFn. Seeds were replaced on medium contained C60 in concentration of 1.4xlO~8 M/l. Seeds couched on distilled water were taken as control. The length of both primary roots and germs (in mm), protein content and peroxidase activity were measured at 5-, 7-, 9- and 11-th days after emergence of seedlings. C60HyFn-treated germs have displayed more rapid growth of roots compared with control at 5-th and 7-th days (100.5±1.4 vs. 77.1±1.7 and 133.4±1.5 vs. 125.2±3.0 correspondingly). The increases of germ length of C60HyFn-treated seeds were statistically non-significant compared to control. Enhancement of root growth induced by C60HyFn was correlated with evaluation of peroxidase activity at the same period in 2.6 and 2.37 times correspondingly as well as protein content at the 5-th day (in 2.33 times). These data demonstrate that C60HyFn treatment promotes metabolic activity of growing seeds at the early stage of germination. It is most probably that C60HyFn does not operate as phytohormone itself. It is observed that C60FWS was consummated by growing seeds more readily than distilled water and thus is supposed to activate the enzyme mechanisms responsible for auxin synthesis and cell growth, affecting both cell division and cellular expansion. Enhancement of electron transport chain activity may result in increase of both H2O2 and reactive oxygen specie levels and triggering enzyme antioxidant system. Taken together these results indicate beneficial effects of FWS with smallest C60HyFn concentration at early ontogenesis of Zea mays and may be useful for further application of Nano-Structured Water [see e.g. http://www.docoop.com] in agricultural cultivation, plant technology, nanobiotethnology etc.