In a world grappling with the dual challenges of surging population growth and the increasingly volatile impacts of climate change, the imperative for a sustainable, resilient crop production system has become paramount. Traditional chemical-based farming practices, once hailed as the saviours of agriculture, are now considered ineffective and ecologically harmful amid these mounting pressures.
Recent advancements in nanobiotechnology have sparked hope for a paradigm shift in sustainable crop production. This innovative approach promises to enhance targeted nutrient delivery, optimise pest management, boost genome-editing (GE) efficiency and introduce smart plant sensor technology into the agricultural landscape.
Based on this, a review by researchers at Zhejiang University, Ningbo University, the University of Tasmania, the University of Western Australia, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur and Government College University Faisalabad delved into the intricate mechanisms underlying the potential applications of ENMs in enhancing crop stress resilience and productivity.
The review provided a comprehensive examination of how nano-enabled techniques could enhance stress resilience in crops, including targeted nutrient delivery, smart nano-sensors and nano-based approaches to plant GE. The discussion extended to the challenges associated with field-scale implementation of ENMs, highlighting the importance of understanding their functions as systems to improve crop productivity and environmental sustainability.
Regulatory implications and food demand challenges
The review addressed the numerous challenges in the journey towards scaling up nanobiotechnology in crop production — namely, regulatory challenges and the challenge of meeting global food demand. Regulatory requirements and risk mitigation strategies are paramount in ensuring public acceptability and the responsible development of these revolutionary technologies.
At the same time, the world's food production and distribution chain is under siege on multiple fronts, including the unpredictability of climate change, exponential population growth, water scarcity and soil contamination. Urbanisation and industrialisation further diminish available arable land, casting a long shadow over global food security.
To address these challenges, it is imperative to cultivate more productive and stress-resilient crop management systems. While the green revolution has brought about significant improvements in crop production, its sustainability is hanging in the balance. The excessive use of agrochemicals — notably, synthetic fertilisers — has had dire consequences, including poor nutrient utilisation, environmental degradation, higher production costs and diminished farmer profitability.
Traditional breeding methods, while essential in enhancing agricultural traits, can be time-consuming and pose limitations in introducing new traits across species. There is also a growing consensus that the agricultural sector must evolve towards more sustainable and efficient practices to address environmental concerns and maintain ecological equilibrium.
Nanotechnology: An agricultural game-changer
The review also highlighted nanotechnology as a powerful ally in the quest for sustainable agriculture. Nanobiotechnology, a burgeoning field at the intersection of nanotechnology and agriculture, offers innovative solutions to improve crop productivity and quality. Engineered nanomaterials are the linchpin of this ag-tech revolution, offering the potential to surmount biological barriers and enable efficient delivery of pesticides and nutrients through foliar or root applications.
Moreover, these nanomaterials have dual roles as environmental sensors, capable of detecting heavy metals and pollutants in soil. By functioning as sensors within plants, they facilitate large-scale monitoring of crop health with unprecedented temporal and spatial precision.
Unpacking ENMs’ potential
The structural and physicochemical characteristics of engineered nanomaterials can be tailored to fine-tune their route of delivery and mode of action. One area of particular promise is GE, revolutionised by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology. However, its efficacy in intracellular delivery has been a limiting factor. Some ENMs, acting as non-viral nanocarriers, have shown remarkable potential in delivering genes efficiently.
Nanotechnology also plays a pivotal role in reducing pre-harvest food loss by enabling targeted nutrient delivery and enhancing resource utilisation, while improving stress and disease management. These attributes position ENMs as compelling candidates for sustainable agriculture.
Balancing promise with caution
While the promise of nanotechnology in agriculture is alluring, it is not without its concerns; this necessitates striking a balance between reaping its benefits and mitigating risks. According to the researchers, there are six key recommendations for a measured approach, including engineering for desired characteristics, which involves enhancing nanomaterials for targeted applications, such as increased strength and catalytic activity.
The second recommendation is transitioning from lab-scale trials to comprehensive field studies to validate the technology, and the third is determining non-toxic doses of nanomaterials in natural conditions.
Fourthly, the researchers recommended investigating the long-term and ecological effects of ENMs and fifth, ensuring compatibility with soil properties for sustainable applications. Lastly, they recommended prioritising green synthesis methods with minimal environmental impact.
The review underscored the role of ENMs as a holistic system, avoiding unintended environmental consequences while fostering a sustainable future in crop productivity and environmental stewardship. With a nano-enabled ag-tech revolution on the horizon, a balanced and responsible approach is essential to ensure its success in countering global food security concerns.
Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information
“Endophytic Beauveria bassiana induces biosynthesis of flavonoids in oilseed rape following both seed inoculation and natural colonization”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100759
Authors: Munazza Ijaz, et al.
