Plant Stress (Dec 2023)
Engineered nanoparticles a novel approach in alleviating abiotic and biotic stress in millets: A complete study
Abstract
Millets are a group of cereal crops that are known for their hardiness and ability to grow in harsh environments with limited resources. However, they still face various abiotic and biotic stresses that can significantly impact their growth and yield. In recent years, the use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) has emerged as a promising approach for alleviating such stresses in millets. ENPs are particles that have been intentionally engineered to have specific properties and functionalities. They are often made of metals, metal oxides, or carbon-based materials and are typically less than 100 nanometers in size. ENPs can interact with crop plants and the environment in unique ways, making them a potentially powerful tool for agricultural applications. This review entails several investigations that have studied the use of ENPs in mitigating abiotic stresses such as water deficit, salinity, heat, heavy metal toxicity, etc. in millets that emerged due to changing climate. It has been shown that the application of nanoparticles can improve water, and nutrient-use efficiency along with better resilience to stresses in millets under changing climatic conditions. It also explores the potential of nanoparticles to protect millets against biotic stresses such as pests and diseases. For instance, the use of nanoparticles has been publicized to significantly minimize the reduction caused by fungal, microbial, and insecticidal attacks in millets. In conclusion, the review circumscribes the use of ENPs in millet agriculture showing promising results in alleviating both abiotic and biotic stresses. It also includes insights into uptake mechanism and their mode of action in millet plants after application along with the risks of use and their management strategies as well. This work could have a substantial impact on millet farming in the future by improving yield, resilience, and crop stress studies. It is also imperative to account that the use of ENPs in agriculture should be approached with caution and guided by rigorous safety and risk assessments.
