Harnessing nanobiotechnology for drought stress: transforming agriculture's future; what, why and how?

Abstract

Nanobiotechnology has received tremendous attention in recent years owing to its wide range of applications in various fields. The growing problem of drought stress (DS) seriously threatens the long-term maintenance of global crop yields and food security. Nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as a promising method for improving crop yield in the context of ongoing climate change and increasing drought severity. DS adversely affects various aspects of plant growth and physiological and metabolic processes. Additionally, DS disrupts cellular membranes, limits the uptake of nutrients and water, impairs the efficiency of the photosynthetic system, and interferes with antioxidant activity. NPs ensure the integrity of cellular membranes, regulate water balance, and improve the absorption of nutrients and water, thereby significantly enhancing plant growth under water-deficit conditions. This review addresses the involvement of several metal-based nanoparticles in reducing drought stress in plants. Additionally, we identified several areas of research that require further investigation. Furthermore, this review focuses on providing a comprehensive, well-elaborated, and updated view of what is currently being investigated in smart agriculture using nanobiotechnology. In addition, we strive to compile all the most recent investigations on the applications of NPs and the beauty of the Nobel Prize-winning genome editing technique CRISPR/Cas and nanobiotechnology: two-in-one system in drought stress.