Impact of Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles on the Morpho-physiological and Biochemical Response in Plants

Abstract

Over the years, nanotechnology has emerged with diverse roles in the research field. Its application in agriculture, medicine, public health, cosmetics, bioremediation, and pharmacology has gained immense research interest. The increase in demand and widespread use of nanoparticles (NPs) for agricultural purposes has generated concerns about the living ecosystem and its entities. Metal-based nanoparticles like CuO, CeO2, TiO2, ZnO, CoO, and Ag show adverse effects on plants if they get accumulated in large amount from their respective sources in soil, in sediments, agricultural land and aquatic environments. Most of the nanoparticles had a detrimental impact on the structure and function of photosynthetic apparatus and also caused disruption of grana, etc. The effective use of nanotechnology in agriculture suggests both negative and positive responses of nanoparticles on the growth and development of plants, depending upon the dose, application, and plant species. Continuous exposure of crop plants to nanoparticles and their accumulation in different plant parts, including fruit, grains, and other edible parts, disrupts human health. In recent years, the prime focus of researchers is to understand the mechanism of uptake, transport and biotransformation of nanoparticles in plants at the physiological, biochemical, and molecular level.