Nano-enabled crop resilience against pathogens: potential, mechanisms and strategies

Abstract Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a revolutionary strategy in the field of agriculture, offering innovative solutions for enhancing plant health, disease management, and sustainable crop production. This review summarizes the multifaceted roles of NPs, synthesized chemically and biologically, in crop disease management, encompassing the NP modulation of plant immunity against pathogens, mechanisms of NP uptake, and potential applications in disease control. The integration of NPs as delivery vehicles for bioactive molecules, enabling targeted delivery of nutrients, hormones, RNA interference molecules, and chemical protectants for growth regulation and disease management, is also discussed in detail. The review also critically examines the safety and environmental considerations associated with the potential application of NPs in the agriculture sector, including environmental toxicity, fate, and risks. Future perspectives encompass precision agriculture, eco-friendly disease management, unraveling intricate plant-NP interactions, and the necessity for responsible innovation. At the nexus of nanotechnology and agriculture, this review underscores the transformative potential of NPs in revolutionizing plant health and crop disease management, while highlighting the importance of responsible application to ensure sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.