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10.3390/molecules31121998
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Article

Choline Fatty Acid Ionic Liquids Enhance Growth, Nitrogen Metabolism, and Grain Guality in Maize (Zea mays L.)

by
Qiuchen Guo
1,†,
Wenquan Chen
1,†,
Mengfei Niu
2,†,
Shixu Yang
1,
Yanan Huang
1,
Pei Zhang
1,
Yulong Ma
1,
Qingru Cai
1,
Yajun Li
1,* and
Xiaohong Chen
2,*
1
College of Agronomy, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
2
College of Life Sciences, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors equally contributed to this work.
Molecules 2026, 31(12), 1998; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31121998
Submission received: 30 April 2026 / Revised: 29 May 2026 / Accepted: 4 June 2026 / Published: 7 June 2026
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Abstract

Choline-based ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as promising candidates for application in multifaceted avenues, including electrochemistry, biomaterials, and environmental remediation technologies. However, their regulatory effects on the growth of agricultural plants have rarely been discussed. In this study, 14 choline–fatty acid ILs ([Chl][FA] ILs) containing different FA anions were synthesized, and their effects on the maize growth were investigated. Hydroponic experiments revealed that low concentrations (20 mg/L) of dicarboxylic acid-based [Chl][FA] ILs (e.g., choline pentane diacid [Chl][Pent]) significantly promoted maize root and shoot biomass, whereas higher concentrations inhibited it. Specifically, [Chl][Pent] enhanced chlorophyll content without altering Fv/F0, upregulated nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS) activities, and stimulated the expression of key nitrogen metabolism (NR and GS) and photosynthetic (Rubisco) genes. Pathway analyses of differentially expressed genes indicated that [Chl][Pent] was associated with the upregulation of nitrogen and glycerophospholipid metabolism. [Chl][Pent] increased the average grain yield by 6.88% over two years compared to CK. Field application of [Chl][Pent] increased grain yield and protein accumulation relative to both control and choline chloride treatments. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of dicarboxylic acid-based [Chl][FA] ionic liquids as eco-friendly biostimulants for enhancing crop growth, yield, and quality.
Keywords: ionic liquids; nitrogen metabolism; transcriptomics; crop growth; pentane diacid ionic liquids; nitrogen metabolism; transcriptomics; crop growth; pentane diacid
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MDPI and ACS Style

Guo, Q.; Chen, W.; Niu, M.; Yang, S.; Huang, Y.; Zhang, P.; Ma, Y.; Cai, Q.; Li, Y.; Chen, X. Choline Fatty Acid Ionic Liquids Enhance Growth, Nitrogen Metabolism, and Grain Guality in Maize (Zea mays L.). Molecules 2026, 31, 1998. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31121998

AMA Style

Guo Q, Chen W, Niu M, Yang S, Huang Y, Zhang P, Ma Y, Cai Q, Li Y, Chen X. Choline Fatty Acid Ionic Liquids Enhance Growth, Nitrogen Metabolism, and Grain Guality in Maize (Zea mays L.). Molecules. 2026; 31(12):1998. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31121998

Chicago/Turabian Style

Guo, Qiuchen, Wenquan Chen, Mengfei Niu, Shixu Yang, Yanan Huang, Pei Zhang, Yulong Ma, Qingru Cai, Yajun Li, and Xiaohong Chen. 2026. "Choline Fatty Acid Ionic Liquids Enhance Growth, Nitrogen Metabolism, and Grain Guality in Maize (Zea mays L.)" Molecules 31, no. 12: 1998. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31121998

APA Style

Guo, Q., Chen, W., Niu, M., Yang, S., Huang, Y., Zhang, P., Ma, Y., Cai, Q., Li, Y., & Chen, X. (2026). Choline Fatty Acid Ionic Liquids Enhance Growth, Nitrogen Metabolism, and Grain Guality in Maize (Zea mays L.). Molecules, 31(12), 1998. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31121998

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