Nanoparticles: The Plant Saviour under Abiotic Stresses

Abstract

Climate change significantly affects plant growth and productivity by causing different biotic and abiotic stresses to plants. Among the different abiotic stresses, at the top of the list are salinity, drought, temperature extremes, heavy metals and nutrient imbalances, which contribute to large yield losses of crops in various parts of the world, thereby leading to food insecurity issues. In the quest to improve plants’ abiotic stress tolerance, many promising techniques are being investigated. These include the use of nanoparticles, which have been shown to have a positive effect on plant performance under stress conditions. Nanoparticles can be used to deliver nutrients to plants, overcome plant diseases and pathogens, and sense and monitor trace elements that are present in soil by absorbing their signals. A better understanding of the mechanisms of nanoparticles that assist plants to cope with abiotic stresses will help towards the development of more long-term strategies against these stresses. However, the intensity of the challenge also warrants more immediate approaches to mitigate these stresses and enhance crop production in the short term. Therefore, this review provides an update of the responses (physiological, biochemical and molecular) of plants affected by nanoparticles under abiotic stress, and potentially effective strategies to enhance production. Taking into consideration all aspects, this review is intended to help researchers from different fields, such as plant science and nanoscience, to better understand possible innovative approaches to deal with abiotic stresses in agriculture.

Insight into the biochemical and physiological mechanisms of nanoparticles-induced arsenic tolerance in bamboo

“…For instance, silicon helps plants maintain a high water capacity under stressful conditions (Zhu and Gong, 2014). The application of NPs may result in enhanced photosynthesis efficiency in plants via the amelioration of oxidative stress (Adrees et al, 2020;Khalid et al, 2022). In light of these findings, we proposed that the application of NPs alone and in combination had a substantial role in ameliorating photosynthetic efficiency in the bamboo plant exposed to As toxicity, leading to improved plant growth and biomass indices as demonstrated by an increase in the photosynthetic pigments and the parameters related to gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence.…”

Effect of NPS Fertilizer, Spraying Nano-NPK+TE and Cerium Oxide NPs on Growth and Yield of Rice (Oryza Sativa L.)

“…From the results shown, we conclude that the use of the mineral compound fertilizer NPS with Nano-NPK+TE and Cerium Oxide NPs achieved the highest responses of increase at the studied traits on plant, due to the role played by the NPS fertilizer added on the soil by increasing the availability of the basic elements for growth, especially phosphorus and sulfur [32], This is reflected in the improvement of photosynthetic and respiratory activities, as well as the efficacy of plant hormones, in addition to the effect of spraying nanomaterials and providing the plant with macro and micro nutrients. The reason for this due to the fact that nanoparticles are possess by a very high specific surface area that leads to an increase in chemical and biological reactions within the plant [33]. In addition to the role of Cerium Oxide nanoparticles in stimulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and thus reducing the harmful oxidative effects caused by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as improving the activity of catalase, and with the direct absorption of macro and micro nutrients provided by Nano-NPK+TE fertilizer with the ground supply of nitrogen and phosphorus and sulfur to the plant to increase the growth of plant cells, increase the cellular divisions of plant tissues, promote the growth of vegetative plants, and delay the aging of cells [34], and thus increase the dry matter weight, increase plant height and the biological yield of the plant [35].…”

The Role of Nanoparticles in Response of Plants to Abiotic Stress at Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Levels

“…6.6.5. Heat Stress Numerous genes and transcription factors that are involved in regulating or inducing responses to heat stress are influenced by various NPs [185]. The pretreatment of alfalfa seedling with ZnO NPs before subjecting it to heat stress modified the ultrastructure of chloroplasts, mitochondria, and cell wall thereby averting heat-induced damages and keeping up better plant growth.…”