Plant Stress (Sep 2023)
Alleviating salinity stress in crop plants using new engineered nanoparticles (ENPs)
Abstract
In recent years, the use of nanotechnology has shown great potential to enhance plant growth by combating stress tolerance. One of the major stress factors in agriculture is soil salinity, which adversely affects crop productivity and quality. The development of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) has opened new avenues for alleviating salinity stress in plants. These ENPs usually made of biocompatible materials that have been shown to enhance plant growth and reduce salt stress-induced damage by improving their nutrient uptake, water balance, and anti-oxidative defense mechanisms. Several studies have reported the effectiveness of ENPs in enhancing plant growth and yield under salt stress conditions. For instance, silica nanoparticles were found to increase the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency of salt-stressed tomato plants, resulting in higher biomass and fruit yield. Similarly, chitosan nanoparticles were shown to increase the water-use efficiency of maize plants and reduce the accumulation of sodium ions in leaves under salt stress conditions. Furthermore, the ENPs can act as carriers for plant growth-promoting compounds, such as nutrients, hormones, or bioactive molecules, to enhance plant growth and stress tolerance.Despite the promising results, the use of ENPs in agriculture raises concerns about their potential environmental impacts and safety for human health. The fate and transport of ENPs in soil and water systems, as well as their potential toxicity to non-target organisms, need to be carefully evaluated. This review analyzes the use of ENPs as a tool for mitigating salinity stress in plants and offers a promising strategy that requires further research and development to optimize their efficacy and safety in agricultural applications.
