Abiotic stresses, such as drought and heat, are non-living factors that negatively affect plant growth. These stresses are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, threatening global food production by limiting crop development and yield.
Nanotechnology offers tools that may help crops tolerate such conditions. Nanomaterials can support plant resilience by improving water use efficiency, nutrient uptake, and photosynthesis.1-4
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How Nanomaterials Work in Agriculture
Nanotechnology is gaining interest in agriculture for its potential to enhance plant performance and reduce dependence on conventional agrochemicals.
Nanomaterials are notable for their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, small size, and reactive properties, enabling controlled release, targeted delivery, and improved absorption. These features make them useful for supporting plant responses to environmental stress, improving nutrient delivery, and managing plant diseases.
Their ability to interact at the molecular and cellular levels also influences key biochemical and physiological processes in plants.1,2
Agricultural nanomaterials are generally categorized into three types: carbon-based, metallic, and polymeric. These materials are absorbed through roots or foliage and can move efficiently within plant tissues, potentially reducing the need for traditional fertilizers and pesticides.1,3
Metallic nanoparticles (e.g., gold, silver, zinc oxide, iron oxide) are valued for their antimicrobial and nutrient delivery functions. For example, silver nanoparticles can help manage plant pathogens, zinc oxide enhances micronutrient availability, and iron oxide supports chlorophyll production and photosynthesis.1,3
Carbon-based nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, fullerenes) offer structural stability and can improve water and nutrient uptake. Graphene oxide may also reduce oxidative stress and increase the effectiveness of agrochemicals.1
Polymeric nanomaterials made from biodegradable and biocompatible polymers are used to encapsulate and gradually release nutrients, pesticides, or growth regulators. Polymeric nanomaterials made from biodegradable polymers encapsulate and slowly release nutrients, pesticides, or growth regulators.
For example, chitosan-based nanoparticles offer both biodegradability and antimicrobial properties, supporting environmentally conscious pest management.1
For an overview of how nanotechnology is being applied to improve crop yields, watch:
Improving Crop Yields with Nanotechnology
Applications in Drought and Heat Stress Management
Abiotic stresses like drought and heat disrupt plant growth by limiting water availability, causing oxidative damage, and impairing physiological processes such as photosynthesis.
Nanomaterials can mitigate these effects by enhancing water uptake, regulating phytohormones, supporting antioxidant defenses, stabilizing membranes, and influencing stress-responsive gene expression.
Drought stress
Carbon-based nanoparticles such as CNTs can form nanochannels in root cell membranes, improving water transport. Polymeric nanoparticles (like hydrogels embedded with nanoparticles) act as water reservoirs, gradually releasing moisture to plants under drought.1,3,4
Metal-based nanoparticles also support stress tolerance. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles help reduce oxidative damage by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), limiting cellular damage during drought. Zinc oxide nanoparticles have been shown to improve soybean seed germination under dry conditions.
In wheat, copper and zinc nanoparticles reduce lipid peroxidation (evidenced by lower thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances), enhance antioxidant enzyme activity, improve moisture retention, and help stabilize chlorophyll content.1,3
Silicon dioxide nanoparticles increase shoot length and water content in barley, while reducing oxidative stress markers. In wheat, foliar application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles helps mitigate drought-induced yield loss.
Similar applications of silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide have shown positive effects in cotton. In chickpeas, soil-applied silicon nanoparticles have improved moisture levels, helping plants manage drought stress.1,3
Some nanomaterials may also affect gene expression related to drought response. For instance, zinc oxide nanoparticles can improve drought and cadmium stress tolerance in wheat by influencing genes such as AREB1 and DREB2.1,3
In specific cases, foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (at 50 and 100 ppm) improved water content, membrane stability, leaf and stem structure, and photosynthesis in drought-stressed eggplants. A 1 % chitosan nanoparticle spray applied to 45-day-old cape periwinkle seedlings enhanced proline and antioxidant levels, reduced hydrogen peroxide, and supported alkaloid gene expression under drought conditions.4
Heat Stress
Heat stress disrupts photosynthesis, plant metabolism, and cellular stability, which can reduce crop productivity. Nanomaterials may help mitigate these effects by supporting antioxidant activity and helping to maintain membrane stability.
For example, silicon nanoparticles can promote the production of heat shock proteins, which protect cellular structures from damage at elevated temperatures. Metallic nanoparticles such as gold and silver reduce the accumulation of heat-induced ROS, helping to limit oxidative damage.1,3
Polymeric nanomaterials can reflect excess solar radiation, helping to lower leaf surface temperatures and reduce heat-related damage in exposed tissues. In wheat, silver nanoparticles delivered through irrigation have been shown to increase leaf number, promote growth, and improve tolerance to heat.
Cerium oxide nanoparticles, when applied to tomato plants, can enhance photosynthesis and aid in cooling by promoting stomatal opening. Additionally, nano-titanium dioxide has been observed to reduce stress caused by extreme temperatures and light, contributing to improved plant resilience.1,3
Environmental and Regulatory Considerations
Despite their benefits, nanoagrochemicals raise concerns about environmental persistence and safety. Nanoparticles can accumulate in edible tissues, alter cellular function, or generate reactive species that disrupt plant metabolism.
In soil, persistent nanomaterials like silver and zinc oxide may affect structure and nutrient dynamics, while disturbing microbial communities vital for soil health.1 Some carbon-based nanomaterials inhibit seed germination and root growth in sensitive species, highlighting the need for species-specific toxicity data.
Nanoparticles may also enter water bodies through runoff, leading to bioaccumulation in aquatic systems and possible entry into the food chain. These risks point to the importance of safe dosing, long-term studies, and the development of biodegradable formulations.1
Materials like chitosan and cellulose are gaining attention due to their natural degradation into non-toxic byproducts. Chitosan-based nanoparticles, in particular, offer stress protection with reduced environmental risk.
Green synthesis methods using plant extracts or microbes provide a chemical-free alternative to conventional manufacturing. Encapsulation in polymers or lipids enhances nanoparticle stability and limits environmental exposure.
Precision agriculture tools, such as nanosensors, also support targeted delivery of agrochemicals based on real-time field data. When combined with proper waste management, these strategies can help minimize the environmental footprint of nanotechnology in agriculture.1
Regulatory frameworks have not fully kept pace with the growth of nanotechnology in agriculture. Most existing guidelines focus on general chemical safety and may overlook the unique risks posed by nanomaterials.1
Agencies such as the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) framework and the United States (US) agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are beginning to adapt policies, but gaps remain in testing standards and long-term safety data.1
Clearer, nanomaterial-specific regulations are needed to support safe and effective implementation in agriculture.
Explore Further
As research in nanoagriculture continues to expand, emerging studies highlight specific materials and applications that could shape the future of sustainable farming.
To learn more about how nanotechnology is being applied in plant science and soil management, explore the following:
References and Further Reading
- Zaman, W., Ayaz, A., Park, S. (2025). Nanomaterials in agriculture: A pathway to enhanced plant growth and abiotic stress resistance. Plants, 14(5), 716. DOI: 10.3390/plants14050716, https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/5/716
- Chen, L. et al. (2025). Engineered Nanomaterials Enhance Crop Drought Resistance for Sustainable Agriculture. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 73, 15, 8715–8728. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c11693, https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.4c11693
- El-Saadony, M. T. et al. (2022). Role of nanoparticles in enhancing crop tolerance to abiotic stress: A comprehensive review. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 946717. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.946717, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.946717/full
- Raza, A. et al. (2023). Nano‐enabled stress‐smart agriculture: Can nanotechnology deliver drought and salinity‐smart crops?. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 2(3), 189-214. DOI: 10.1002/sae2.12061, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/sae2.12061
