Nanoparticle-Assisted Seed Priming in Sustainable Agriculture

Nanoparticle-assisted seed priming harnesses engineered nanomaterials to enhance seed quality, germination and stress resilience. By soaking or coating seeds with nanoscale particles of metals such as zinc, silver or cerium, or with nanoemulsions derived from plant oils, the treatment modulates water uptake, metabolic pathways and oxidative balance within the seed. The nanoscale dimension increases surface area and catalytic reactivity, enabling controlled release of ions and generation of reactive oxygen species that act as signalling molecules to trigger antioxidant defences, enzyme activation and aquaporin expression. This approach shows promise in reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, mitigating abiotic stress from drought, salinity and heavy metals, and improving crop establishment, yield and nutritional quality. Field trials in diverse crops such as rice, maize, watermelon and cereals demonstrate that nanopriming can enhance seedling vigour, emergence rates and stand uniformity while preserving fruit quality. Integration of nanotechnologies into seed treatment offers a sustainable route to bolster global food security under changing climates.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have shown that green-synthesised silver nanoparticles can significantly rejuvenate aged rice seeds, boosting α-amylase activity and soluble sugar accumulation to accelerate germination. The phytochemical capping improves nanoparticle biocompatibility, while induced reactive oxygen species and aquaporin up-regulation facilitate water imbibition and early seedling growth. Similarly, research on watermelon has demonstrated that seed priming with silver nanoparticles and turmeric oil nanoemulsions enhances triploid seed emergence, accelerates carbohydrate mobilisation and increases yield by over 30 % in multi-location trials. These treatments maintain fruit phytochemical and mineral profiles, confirming that nanoparticle seed priming can enhance crop performance without compromising quality.

Nanoparticle-Assisted Seed Priming in Sustainable Agriculture publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle-assisted seed priming in sustainable agriculture across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nanoparticle: A particle between 1 and 100 nm in at least one dimension, exhibiting high surface area and unique physicochemical properties.

Seed priming: Pre-sowing treatment of seeds with water or solutions to trigger metabolic activity and enhance germination performance.

Nanopriming: A form of seed priming that employs nanoparticles to modulate seed hydration, enzymatic activity and stress signalling.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules derived from oxygen that act as signalling agents to regulate seed germination and stress responses.

Aquaporin: A membrane protein channel facilitating water transport across cell membranes, crucial for rapid imbibition during germination.

References

1. Recent Advances in Nano-Enabled Seed Treatment Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture: Challenges, Risk Assessment, and Future Perspectives. Nano-Micro Letters (2023).
2. Nanopriming technology for enhancing germination and starch metabolism of aged rice seeds using phytosynthesized silver nanoparticles. Scientific Reports (2017).
3. Nanoparticle-Mediated Seed Priming Improves Germination, Growth, Yield, and Quality of Watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) at multi-locations in Texas. Scientific Reports (2020).
4. Seed nano-priming with Zinc Oxide nanoparticles in rice mitigates drought and enhances agronomic profile. PLOS ONE (2022).