Alginate-based electrospinning composite nanofibers as eco-friendly seed coatings for enhancing medicinal plants...

Astragalus membranaceus is highly susceptible to biotic stress during seed germination for significantly affecting the yield and quality. Developing an appropriate seed coating can effectively address this issue. In this work, we constructed alginate-based composite electrospinning nanofibers as eco-friendly seed coatings for enhancing the germination and seedling vigor of astragalus. In this system, sodium alginate (SA) and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared nanofibers as biodegradable and eco-friendly matrices of seed coatings. The optimized pesticides and fertilizers were integrated into nanofibers for enhancing seed germination and disease resistance. The as-prepared seed coatings exhibited high porosity, a large specific surface area and excellent hydrophilicity. The pot experiments demonstrated that as-prepared seed coatings not only enhanced seed germination but also significantly upregulated the expression of defense-related enzymes. Furthermore, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing confirmed that the as-prepared seed coatings modulated the composition of the microbial community, thereby improving soil nutrient availability and promoting plant growth. Compared to conventional film-coating techniques, the developed electrospinning seed coatings exhibited the superior environmental compatibility and significantly enhanced both germination rates and seedling biomass in astragalus, offering a sustainable and efficient approach to seed protection.