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The present study explores the potential impact of silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs), in comparison with their bulk counterpart (silicate), on post-stress recovery performance of barley (Hordeum vulgare) seedlings under different drought stress intensities during vegetative growth. Barley plants were grown under 100% field capacity (FC), or mild (75% FC), moderate (50% FC) and severe (25% FC) drought stress levels, and were subsequently recovered by different treatments including soil application of 150 mL of Si NPs and silicate (at 125 and 250 mg Si L−1), and water. Si NPs application at 250 mg L−1 led to formation of Si NP aggregates in plant tissues, large pores in roots, and also rapid stomata closure in leaves. However, the lower Si NPs dose (125 mg Si L−1) was accompanied by a wider distribution of Si NPs in cells, and formation of a regular porosity pattern in roots i.e. more frequent pores of a smaller size …