Nanoparticle Applications in Plant Nutrition

Nanoparticles are engineered to deliver essential nutrients at the nanoscale, offering novel strategies to enhance nutrient use efficiency and to reduce environmental losses. By controlling particle size, surface chemistry and release kinetics, nanoparticle formulations can improve solubility, limit leaching and target nutrient delivery to root or foliar tissues. Uptake pathways include apoplastic movement and active transport across root membranes, followed by xylem-mediated root-to-shoot translocation. Nanofertilisers can be applied to soil or as foliar sprays, where small doses suffice to overcome nutrient deficiencies and stress conditions such as drought, salinity or toxic contaminants. Practical applications have demonstrated increased biomass, grain yield and micronutrient content in major crops under field and greenhouse conditions. Environmental benefits include lower fertiliser inputs, reduced runoff and decreased greenhouse-gas emissions. Overall, nanoparticle applications in plant nutrition represent a transformative approach for sustainable agriculture, integrating materials science with plant physiology and soil chemistry to address global food security.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Time-resolved studies on zinc oxide nanoparticles have elucidated key mechanisms of root uptake, translocation and biotransformation within plants. Smaller nanoparticles were shown to dissolve more readily at the root interface, yielding ionic zinc that is complexed with phosphate and histidine in leaf tissues. Xylem transport drives a concentration gradient from root to shoot, while radial movement and vacuolar compartmentalisation in lower stem tissues act as buffers against excessive metal accumulation. Gene expression analyses reveal upregulation of tonoplast transporters corresponding to enhanced zinc sequestration, and physiological measurements indicate that nanoparticle exposure can impair photosynthetic rate, transpiration and water conductance at higher concentrations. These insights provide a foundation for optimising nanoparticle size and dosage to balance efficient nutrient delivery with minimal phytotoxicity.

Nanoparticle Applications in Plant Nutrition publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle applications in plant nutrition across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nanoparticle: A particle with at least one dimension in the 1–100 nm range, exhibiting unique surface and physicochemical properties.

Nanofertiliser: A fertiliser formulation incorporating nanoparticles to enhance nutrient delivery and control release.

Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE): The proportion of applied nutrient that is taken up and utilised by the plant.

Xylem Transport: The vascular pathway through which water and dissolved solutes move upwards from roots to shoots.

Foliar Application: Delivery of nutrients via spray directly onto leaf surfaces for rapid absorption.

Controlled-Release Fertiliser: A formulation designed to release nutrients gradually over time, matching plant demand.

References

1. Facile Coating of Urea With Low-Dose ZnO Nanoparticles Promotes Wheat Performance and Enhances Zn Uptake Under Drought Stress. Frontiers in Plant Science (2020).
2. Addition-omission of zinc, copper, and boron nano and bulk oxide particles demonstrate element and size -specific response of soybean to micronutrients exposure. The Science of The Total Environment (2019).
3. A new glance on root-to-shoot in vivo zinc transport and time-dependent physiological effects of ZnSO4 and ZnO nanoparticles on plants. Scientific Reports (2019).