Biotic and abiotic stress factors are pivotal considerations in agriculture due to their potential to cause crop losses, food insecurity, and economic repercussions. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO nanoparticles) have gained substantial attention from researchers worldwide for their capacity to alleviate the detrimental impacts of both biotic and abiotic stress on plants, concurrently reducing dependence on environmentally harmful chemicals. This article provides an overview of methods for synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles, encompassing physical vapor deposition, ball milling, hydrothermal methods, solvothermal methods, precipitation methods, microwave methods, microbial synthesis, and plant-mediated synthesis. Additionally, it delves into the absorption, translocation, and biotransformation pathways of ZnO nanoparticles within plants. The emphasis lies in elucidating the potential of ZnO nanoparticles to safeguard plants against biotic and abiotic stress, enhance plant performance, and modulate various plant processes. The article also offers a preliminary exploration of the mechanisms underlying plant stress tolerance mediated by ZnO nanoparticles. In conclusion, ZnO nanoparticles present an environmentally friendly and cost-effective strategy for plant stress management, paving the way for the integration of nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture. This opens new possibilities for leveraging nanotechnology to bolster plant resilience against stress in the ever-changing climate conditions, ensuring global food security.

Nanoparticle-based strategies have emerged as transformative tools for addressing critical challenges in sustainable agriculture, offering precise modulation of plant–environment interactions through enhanced biocompatibility and stimuli-responsive delivery mechanisms. Among these innovations, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) present unique advantages due to their dual functionality as both essential micronutrient carriers and redox homeostasis modulators. Compared to conventional selenium treatments, SeNPs offer a more efficient and environmentally friendly solution for improving plant resilience while minimizing toxicity, even at low doses. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of methods for synthesizing SeNPs, including chemical reduction, green synthesis using plant extracts, and biological techniques with microbial agents. Additionally, the review discusses the effects of SeNPs on biotic and abiotic stress responses in plants, focusing on how these nanoparticles activate stress-response pathways and enhance plant immune function. The primary objective of this study is to offer theoretical insights into the application of SeNPs for addressing critical challenges in modern agriculture, such as improving crop yield and quality under stress conditions. Moreover, the research highlights the role of SeNPs in advancing sustainable agricultural practices by reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The findings underscore the transformative potential of SeNPs in crop management, contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural future.

Rhizoctonia solani is one of the important pathogenic fungi causing several serious crop diseases, such as maize and rice sheath blight. Current methods used to control the disease mainly depend on spraying fungicides because there is no immunity or high resistance available in crops. Spraying double-strand RNA (dsRNA) for induced-gene silencing (SIGS) is a new potentially sustainable and environmentally friendly tool to control plant diseases. Here, we found that fluorescein-labelled EGFP-dsRNA could be absorbed by R. solani in co-incubation. Furthermore, three dsRNAs, each targeting one of pathogenicity-related genes, RsPG1, RsCATA, and RsCRZ1, significantly downregulated the transcript levels of the target genes after co-incubation, leading to a significant reduction in the pathogenicity of the fungus. Only the spray of RsCRZ1 dsRNA, but not RsPG1 or RsCATA dsRNA, affected fungal sclerotium formation. dsRNA stability on leaf surfaces and its efficiency in entering leaf cells were significantly improved when dsRNAs were loaded on layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets. Notably, the RsCRZ1-dsRNA-LDH approach showed stronger and more lasting effects than using RsCRZ1-dsRNA alone in controlling pathogen development. Together, this study provides a new potential method to control crop diseases caused by R. solani.

Multimodal antimicrobial technology is regarded as a promising strategy for controlling plant diseases because it enhances antimicrobial efficacy by blocking multiple pesticide-resistance pathways. In this work, a pH-responsive multimodal antimicrobial system was constructed based on ZIF-90 for the controlled release of kasugamycin (KSM). A series of physicochemical characterizations confirmed the successful fabrication of ZIF-90-KSM. The results indicated that the loading capacity of ZIF-90-KSM for KSM was approximately 6.7% and that the ZIF-90 nanocarriers could protect KSM against photodegradation effectively. The acid pH at the site of disease not only decompose the Schiff base bonds between KSM and ZIF-90, but also completely dissolved the nanocarriers. The simultaneous release of KSM and Zn²⁺ ions was able to achieve multimodal antimicrobial functions during disease occurs. A bioactivity survey indicated that ZIF-90-KSM had superior fungicidal activity and longer duration against Magnaporthe oryzae than KSM aqueous solution. In addition, the phytotoxicity assessment of ZIF-90-KSM on rice plants did not reveal any adverse effects. Therefore, ZIF-90-KSM prepared by Schiff base reaction has great potential for achieving synergistic antifungal functions and provides an eco-friendly approach to manage rice diseases.

Rice false smut (RFS), caused by Ustilaginoidea virens, is an important fungal disease of rice. In China, Methyl Benzimidazole Carbamates (MBCs), including carbendazim, are common fungicides used to control RFS and other rice diseases. In this study, resistance of U. virens to carbendazim was monitored for three consecutive years during 2018 to 2020. A total of 321 U. virens isolates collected from Jiangsu Province of China were tested for their sensitivity to carbendazim on PSA. The concentration at which mycelial growth is inhibited by 50% (EC₅₀) of the carbendazim-sensitive isolates was 0.11 to 1.38 µg/mL, with a mean EC₅₀ value of 0.66 μg/mL. High level of resistance to carbendazim was detected in 14 out of 321 isolates. The resistance was stable but associated with a fitness penalty. There was a statistically significant and moderate negative correlation (r= −0.74, p < 0.001) in sensitivity between carbendazim and diethofencarb. Analysis of the U. virens genome revealed two potential MBC targets, Uvβ1Tub and Uvβ2Tub, that putatively encode β-tubulin gene. The two β-tubulin genes in U. virens share 78% amino acid sequence identity, but their function in MBC sensitivity has been unclear. Both genes were identified and sequenced from U. virens sensitive and resistant isolates. It is known that mutations in the β2-tubulin gene have been shown to confer resistance to carbendazim in other fungi. However, no mutation was found in the Uvβ2Tub gene in either resistant or sensitive isolates. Variations including point mutations, non-sense mutations, codon mutations, and frameshift mutations were found in the Uvβ1Tub gene from the 14 carbendazim-resistant isolates, which have not been reported in other fungi before. Thus, these results indicated that variations of Uvβ1Tub result in the resistance to carbendazim in field isolates of Ustilaginoidea virens.

This review delves into the diverse applications of ionic liquids (ILs) in modern agriculture, focusing on their pivotal roles in the extraction of natural products and pesticides, as well as their substantial significance in sustainable pesticide delivery systems. The reported extraction methods include ILs and their modified materials as solvents in dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction, solid-phase dispersion, and solid-phase microextraction. The study categorizes ILs according to their utility as herbicides, microbicides, food repellents, and plant growth regulators. This review investigates the use of ILs as plant immunity inducers to elevate the systemic acquired resistance in crops, thereby augmenting their intrinsic ability to defend against plant pathogens. Furthermore, the review explores the application of ILs in pesticide delivery systems, emphasizing their ability to enhance efficacy while promoting environmental sustainability. The biodegradability and toxicity aspects of ILs are also discussed, shedding light on their potential as eco-friendly alternatives in agricultural practices. In conclusion, this comprehensive overview underscores the multifaceted contributions of ILs in agriculture, from efficient extraction methods to the development of innovative and sustainable pesticide delivery systems. As the agricultural landscape evolves towards environmentally conscious practices, the integration of ILs presents a promising avenue for enhancing productivity while minimizing ecological impact. As the agricultural industry seeks innovative and sustainable solutions, the nuanced exploration of ILs in this review highlights their potential to address multiple challenges in modern farming practices.