Effect of Carbon Nanotubes on Abiotic Stress Response in Plants: An Overview

Abstract

In the period of climate change, abiotic stresses are propitious menace to agriculture, restricting the production of crops by inflicting primary effects like osmotic and ionic stress, along with other impacts like oxidative stress, disturbance in hormonal balance, and nutrient imbalance. However, increasing evidences reveal that augmentation of nanoparticles to plants can notably reduce detrimental effects caused by several severe environmental conditions and therefore, modulate several mechanisms in plants. Several types of nanoparticles and nanofertilizers have unveiled propitious corroboration regarding abiotic stress management. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are eminent members of the nanomaterial family. Because of the exceptional physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, CNTs are demonstrated to be efficacious means in the plant science field. CNTs were commonly considered to lead to important biotechnological and agricultural applications which are still far from experimental realization. Various studies have shown capability of CNTs to cross diverse plant cell blockades. These investigations, also, evaluated the harmful effects of these nanomaterials. Whilst several types of nanoparticles have shown to enact physiological processes in plants, carbon nanotubes experienced specific interest. Recent investigations have revealed CNTs to be chemically captured into plant tracheary elements. This ought to start off studies in the fields of plant defense. This chapter emphasizes on the effect of carbon nanotubes on plants under various abiotic stresses and the possible use of these distinctive nanomaterials in crop management.