Engineered Nanomaterials for Plant Growth Enhancement and Sustainable Agricultural Production

Short Communication
Elena Markovic1 Kwame Mensah2 Hiroshi Tanaka3 Sofia Almeida4 Daniel Okafor5 Amina Benali6 Lukas Schneider7 Mei-Lin Chen8 Rafael Torres9 Ingrid Nilsen10
1 Department of Plant Sciences, European Centre for Sustainable Crop Research, Zagreb, Croatia
2 Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, West African Institute of Crop Innovation, Kumasi, Ghana
3 Laboratory of Plant Nanotechnology, East Asian Centre for Agricultural Science, Sapporo, Japan
4 Department of Agronomy and Soil Science, Atlantic Institute of Sustainable Agriculture, Porto, Portugal
5 Centre for Environmental Nanobiotechnology, African Institute of Agricultural Research, Abuja, Nigeria
6 Department of Plant Physiology, North African Centre for Biosciences, Rabat, Morocco
7 Institute of Agricultural Technology, Central European University of Plant Science, Leipzig, Germany
8 Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Pacific Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology, Taipei, Taiwan
9 Department of Crop Production and Nanotechnology, Latin American Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Bogotá, Colombia
10 Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, Nordic Institute for Plant Innovation, Oslo, Norway

Abstract

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have emerged as promising tools for improving agricultural productivity and promoting sustainable farming practices. Due to their unique physicochemical properties, such as high surface area, controlled release capability, and enhanced reactivity, nanomaterials are increasingly being used to improve nutrient delivery, enhance plant growth, and protect crops from pests and diseases. Nano-enabled agricultural products, including nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, and nanosensors, contribute to higher crop yields while reducing excessive chemical inputs and environmental pollution. Furthermore, engineered nanomaterials support precision agriculture by enabling efficient resource management and real-time monitoring of plant health. Despite these advantages, concerns regarding nanoparticle toxicity, environmental accumulation, and regulatory challenges remain important considerations for their widespread adoption. This review highlights the role of engineered nanomaterials in plant growth enhancement and sustainable agricultural production, discusses recent advancements, major applications, challenges, and future research directions for developing environmentally safe and efficient nano-enabled agricultural technologies.