Seeds and nanomaterials: seed-assisted synthesis, nanotoxicity, and seed-associated nanotechnology innovations.
Bodor T, Fejes G, Kondak D, Kondak S, Szőllősi R
Crop Improvement
Same seeds you plant in your garden are at the frontier of new technologies that could one day produce crops that survive droughts, resist pests without heavy pesticide use, and grow more reliably in a changing climate.
Scientists looked at how microscopic engineered particles interact with plant seeds in multiple ways. On one hand, seeds themselves can be used to help manufacture these tiny particles in a more eco-friendly way. On the other hand, when seeds are exposed to these particles, the particles can get inside the seed and change how it grows — sometimes helping it, sometimes harming it, depending on the particle type and the plant. Researchers are now using this knowledge to develop practical tools: helping seeds handle drought or disease better, and even delivering new genes directly into seed embryos.
Key Findings
Nanomaterials can physically enter seeds and alter seed physiology, with effects that vary depending on both the type of nanomaterial and the plant species involved.
Seeds themselves can serve as a renewable, sustainable source of biological compounds used to synthesize nanomaterials, supporting circular agricultural practices.
Seed-nanotechnology applications now include improving drought and stress tolerance, protecting against pathogens, enabling genetic transformation of embryos, and converting seed oils into biodiesel.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers reviewed how tiny engineered particles called nanomaterials interact with seeds — both as potential stressors and as tools. Seeds can help create these particles sustainably, and nanomaterials can in turn help seeds survive drought, resist disease, and even receive genetic edits.
Abstract Preview
Seeds are the cornerstone of agricultural crop production. They are sources of many valuable materials that can be used to convert bulk materials into nanoforms, thus supporting sustainability in n...
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