European Journal of Sustainable Agroecosystems

The worldwide agricultural world is in a position wherein numerous pressures combine to challenge it in a variety of ways. The agricultural sector finds itself under pressure from the changing climate, the problem of soil health declining, and the limitation of yield increase granted by traditional agrochemicals. In this period of threats, nanotechnology has gained recognition in the past years as something that could be used to connect productivity with proper use of resources and environmental stewardship. Yet, the extent to which nanomaterials will reach this goal depends on their effect on three fields of knowledge, such as plant physiology, soil chemistry, and rhizosphere microbial ecology. The concept of nano-bio synergy is suggested here as a combination of these three aspects that needs attention.
This article presents a review of peer-reviewed research (2015-2025) regarding the role of nanomaterials in the physiological, chemical, and microbiological processes in agroecosystems, with an aim to create an integrated framework for climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and identify key knowledge gaps in research.
To obtain literature for synthesis, articles published in peer-reviewed journals were searched for using Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and other databases, resulting in 1,842 published articles.
The primary observation from the research is that nanofertilization and nanopriming favorably impact nutrient-use efficiency and alleviate the pressure caused by drought, salinity, and heavy metals thanks to the stimulation of antioxidant enzymes and control over nutrient release through proper ion homeostasis regulation. Interactions between nanoparticles and microbiomes are two-sided: while some types of nanomaterials boost PGPR colonization and mycorrhizal associations, others, such as silver and copper nanoparticles used in higher concentrations, are harmful, inhibiting beneficial microbiota from spreading and impairing the processes of nutrient cycling. The improved capabilities of modern agriculture enabled by nanosensors and IoT systems are often tested solely in greenhouse conditions and have little usage in large-scale systems.
It includes the fact that standardized nanomaterial characterization, dose-response harmonization, long-term field validation and integrated life cycle risk assessment are all still underdeveloped when compared to laboratory discovery progress.
Nano-bio interactions present an opportunity to develop climate-resilient crop production methods; however, implementing them safely, scalably and according to regulatory standards will take more work in terms of promising areas of study on plants' physiology, soil chemistry and microbiology.