REVIEW article
Front. Nanotechnol.
Sec. Environmental Nanotechnology
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnano.2025.1545413
This article is part of the Research TopicAgro-Nanotechnology: Advancements and Challenges in Nanofertilizers for Sustainable AgricultureView all articles
A Review on Plant Metabolite-Mediated Nanoparticle Synthesis: Sustainable Applications in Horticultural Crops
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Biotechnology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India
- 2Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
- 3Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Karaj, Alborz, Iran
- 4Krishi Vigyan Kendra Junagadh Agricultural University, Targhadia, Targhadiya(Rajkot), India
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Global food security is increasingly threatened by climate change and population growth. This particularly affects horticultural crops, which often do not receive enough attention despite their significant nutritional and economic value. These crops pose a major challenge for breeding due to their high genetic diversity, long generation cycles and complex reproductive biology, underlining the need for innovative approaches. The green synthesis of nanoparticles using plant metabolites is proving to be a sustainable solution to these challenges. Biogenic nanoparticles, known for their improved biocompatibility and lower environmental impact compared to chemically synthesized counterparts, offer promising strategies to increase plant productivity, quality and resilience. Applications of these nanoparticles include nano-fertilizers for efficient nutrient delivery, nano-pesticides for targeted pest control and nano-packaging to reduce post-harvest losses. In addition, they function as nano-(bio)sensors for early detection of pathogens to ensure crop health and minimize losses. Recent studies suggest that biogenic nanoparticles can improve the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 transfer, which could promote the development of stress-resistant plants in precision agriculture. This review highlights the role of green nanotechnology in horticultural crop improvement, emphasizing the mechanisms by which plant metabolites mediate nanoparticle synthesis and exploring their diverse agricultural applications. By stimulating seed germination, mitigating biotic and abiotic stress, and improving nutrient quality with minimal environmental impact, biogenic nanoparticles hold great promise for revolutionizing horticulture. However, further research is required to optimize their scalability, standardization and regulatory compliance so that they can be widely used in sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: Nanotechnology, Biogenic nanoparticles, horticulture, crop yield, crop protection, Nano packaging, nano biosensor, abiotic stress
Received: 14 Dec 2024; Accepted: 19 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Lakhani, Hamid, Motamedi and Marviya. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Rasmeih Hamid, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
Elaheh Motamedi, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Karaj, Alborz, Iran
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.