Functionalized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles for mitigating drought and disease in crops and reducing non-target biotoxicity

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Nanotechnology
• Plant Pathology

Background:

• Global agriculture faces significant challenges from abiotic and biotic stresses.
• Functional nanomaterials offer a promising solution for mitigating these stresses.
• Ferrosoferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles modified with L-arginine and cinnamaldehyde (Fe-Arg-Cin NPs) were developed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop smart Fe-Arg-Cin nanoparticles for alleviating drought and disease stresses in crops.
• To evaluate the efficacy of Fe-Arg-Cin NPs in enhancing crop resistance.
• To assess the biosafety profile of Fe-Arg-Cin NPs.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of Fe-Arg-Cin nanoparticle structure and properties.
• Assessing the impact of Fe-Arg-Cin NPs on seed germination and seedling growth under drought stress.
• In vitro and in vivo antifungal assays against Rhizoctonia solani and Rhizoctonia cerealis.
• Biosafety evaluation using zebrafish, human liver cells, and soil microbial communities.

Main Results:

• Fe-Arg-Cin NPs demonstrated uniform size distribution with 6.8% cinnamaldehyde loading.
• The nanoparticles effectively mitigated drought stress effects on rice and wheat germination and growth.
• Potent in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity was observed against key agricultural pathogens.
• Fe-Arg-Cin NPs exhibited reduced toxicity to non-target organisms compared to cinnamaldehyde alone.

Conclusions:

• Fe-Arg-Cin NPs enhance crop resistance to drought and control agricultural pathogens.
• The developed nanoparticles ensure safety for non-target organisms, including soil microbes.
• This platform presents a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture under challenging environmental conditions.