Microneedle patches at the bio-agricultural Interface: Toward precision, resilience, and sustainability

Microneedle patches (MNPs), initially developed for minimally invasive drug and vaccine delivery, combine engineering precision with biological function to achieve controlled, painless transport. Beyond medicine, MNPs are increasingly viewed as sustainable interfaces for agriculture and food systems under pressure to increase productivity and ensure safety. This review traces MNP evolution from brittle silicon and metals to biodegradable polymers, dissolvable hydrogels, and stimuli-responsive or bioelectronic platforms. Fabrication techniques utilizing MEMS, micromolding, and 3D printing are examined for agricultural utility. Applications span plant diagnostics, precision delivery of nutrients and regulators, postharvest preservation, and sensing of freshness, contaminants, and food authenticity. Challenges regarding plant-tissue penetration, environmental robustness, scale-up, regulatory approval, and adoption are critically assessed. MNPs provide minimally invasive access through plant cuticles and packaging, facilitating analyte extraction of reactive species, hormones, and metabolites, plus targeted interventions to strengthen immunity or suppress pathogens. Biopolymer dissolvable systems reduce waste, aligning with sustainability, while colorimetric and electrochemical formats enable rapid food-safety screening. However, economic viability, long-term stability, and manufacturing scalability require resolution. Overall, MNPs emerge as adaptable diagnostic-therapeutic nodes supporting precision, resilient, and sustainable farm-to-fork pathways.