Nano-enabled plant microbiome engineering for disease resistance

Nanoscale materials in agricultural systems can enhance plant growth and control phytopathogens. Recent studies have documented that plants form complex interaction networks with the phyllosphere and root microbiome, and the intricate interactions between host and their associated microbiota can change the microbial composition and enrich specific beneficial species associated with improved crop yield and pathogen resilience. Direct application of nanomaterials alters the diversity and composition of plant microbiota; however, critical knowledge gaps exist on the five-party interaction of “nanomaterials-host plant-pathogen-microbiome-environment”. We propose that understanding these interactions will enable the use of nanomaterials for microbiome engineering that will yield additive or even synergistic microbial services, resulting in greater plant growth, development, and disease protection in a range of agriculture ecosystems.