Seed priming with boron nanoparticles establishes Trans-Developmental defense to Restrict Cd translocation via cell...

Heavy metal contamination, particularly cadmium (Cd), represents a critical threat to global food safety and public health. Developing strategies to enhance crop resilience and minimize the accumulation of toxic elements in edible plant parts is imperative. Herein, we investigated the potential of boron nanoparticles (BNPs) as a novel seed priming agent to improve the growth and alleviate Cd toxicity in Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. In contrast to micro-particle or ionic boron, which only offered transient growth benefits, BNPs priming consistently alleviated Cd-induced growth inhibition throughout the plant life cycle. BNPs significantly enhanced growth, resulting in a 114% increase in edible biomass under Cd stress compared to hydro-primed controls. Importantly, BNPs priming increased Cd retention in the roots and reduced translocation to edible tissues by 34%. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that BNPs induced molecular reprogramming and established a trans-developmental defense. This response orchestrated cell wall remodeling by continuously upregulating genes involved in cell wall component biosynthesis, thereby enhancing physical barriers and Cd sequestration. Concurrently, antioxidant defense signaling pathways were activated to mitigate Cd-induced oxidative damage. These findings demonstrated that BNP seed priming is a promising strategy for safeguarding agricultural yield and food safety in heavy metal-contaminated regions.