Green synthesis of curcumin nanoparticles, characterization, and their role in alleviating arsenic-induced oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant defense, photosynthetic pigments, and agronomic traits in wheat.

This study evaluates the potential of green-synthesized curcumin nanoparticles (Cur-NPs) for mitigating arsenic (As) stress in wheat cultivars Barani-70 and NARC-09. Cur-NPs were characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometry, XRD (36 nm), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), revealing well-dispersed, amorphous structures and functional groups. Both cultivars were subjected to 10 mg/L arsenic stress and treated with Cur-NPs at 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L through soil and foliar applications. Cur-NPs reduced arsenic uptake by up to 65.01% in leaves and 77.32% in roots. Cur-NP treatments lowered MDA by 50% and H₂O₂ by 14%. Antioxidant enzyme activities improved; superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased by 13%, peroxidase (POD) by 5%, and catalase (CAT) by 0.5%. Proline content rose by 47%, enhancing osmoprotection. Chlorophyll a and b increased by 24% and 67%, respectively, while carotenoid content rose by 82%. Agronomic traits improved significantly, with plant height increasing by 69.6%, grain yield by 141.3%, and biomass yield by 1260.9%. Starch and total sugar content increased by 155% and 218%, respectively, while protein content rose by up to 225%. Phenolic and flavonoid contents increased by 43% and 37%, strengthening antioxidant defences. These findings underscore the efficacy of Cur-NPs as a sustainable approach to mitigate arsenic toxicity, strengthen antioxidant defence mechanisms, and enhance both physiological traits and agronomic performance in wheat, offering a strong foundation for future field-scale validation and environmental application.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01615-0.