Nanotechnology in Developing Abiotic Stress Resilience in Crops

Abstract

Nanotechnology is emerging as a tool for improving crop production by enhancing the tolerance of crop plants to various stresses. Various kinds of nanoparticles (1–100 nm in size) show high performances in genetic gain, nutrient security, soil improvement, and sustainability in crop production. The promise of nanotechnology in crop production is diverse. Global warming and various abiotic stresses such as floods, drought, salinity, and loss of top soil negatively affect plant physiological processes, including protein folding, and nutrient content and ultimately decrease the crop yield. Efflux of fluid from membrane in plant cells and leakage of solutes are the distinct effects of abiotic stresses. Almost all abiotic stresses often produce toxic compounds and gases in plant cells that impede nutrient uptake or nutritional balance in the plant. The application of suitable nanoparticles enhances seed germination and seedling growth, and physiological processes including photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, protein, carbohydrate content, and yield of crop plants. The nanomaterials can also be used in delivering target genes to the genome for engineering plants for abiotic stress tolerance. Slow-release and target-specific nanofertilizers have higher efficiency in increasing crop yield and quality without affecting the environment. This prompted the development of stress-resilient crops to address food-security issues for the ever-increasing global population in the changing climate. This chapter updates current knowledge and approaches for mitigation of abiotic stresses in plants by the application of potential nanoparticles in order to maximize the crop yield in a sustainable manner.