Abiotic stressors and the natural shortage of traditional agrochemicals are increasingly hazardous to global food security, necessitating innovative solutions. This review examines the rapidly evolving role of nanotechnology particularly seed nano-priming and nano-encapsulation as promising strategies to enhance crop resilience and promote sustainable agriculture. The challenge of abiotic stressors and decreasing effectiveness of traditional agrochemicals pose a threat to worldwide food security, and they demand creative solutions. The current review shows the emerging importance of nanotechnology, namely seed nano-priming and nano-encapsulation in enhancing crop resilience and sustainability. Nano-priming the seeds by using metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles (TiO2, CeO2, ZnO), halloysite nanotubes, and chitosan-based systems in the process of seed imbibition triggers stress-response genes, up-regulates antioxidant enzymes, and increases nutrient mobilization. These mechanisms enhance salinity and drought tolerance of germination, seedling vigor, biomass and yield in cereals and vegetables. Nano-encapsulation, which is obtained by top-down and bottom-up methods, allows the release of nutrients, growth regulators and biopesticides in a controlled and responsive manner to stimuli reducing leaching, environmental pollution, and frequency of application. Green-synthesized nanoparticles and bio-degradable carriers are other supporting factors that make eco-friendly pest management with minimal effects on non-target organisms. The initial costs are more expensive, but economic studies suggest positive returns in the long term. Synthesis reproducibility, long-term nanoparticle behavior in soil, harmonization of regulations and scalable production are some of the remaining challenges. These nano-enabled approaches are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2, 3, 12, and 13) and provide a way to an agricultural system that is climate-smart. Graphical abstract

Global pollinator decline, driven by neonicotinoid insecticides and agricultural intensification, poses a critical threat to sunflower (Helianthus annuus) oilseed yields. Even in self-fertile sunflower varieties, yield losses of up to 30% occur in the absence of pollination, underscoring the vital role of insect pollinators in determining seed and oil quality. This review synthesizes recent advancements in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis and proposes a novel framework utilizing oleosin-stabilized nanocarriers. These nanocarriers are designed to mitigate neonicotinoid degradation while serving as a synergistic approach to restoring pollen nutritional quality and safeguarding bee health in contaminated agricultural environments. We examine the role of hybrid-specific oleosin isoforms (HαOL1 and HαOL2) in stabilizing AMF inoculants, enabling targeted delivery to the rhizosphere, and optimizing nutrient mobilization, pollen amino acid composition, and overall plant health. Although AMF demonstrates potential for enhancing seed set and pollen value through improved phosphorus and micronutrient uptake, the widespread presence of persistent neonicotinoids (e.g., imidacloprid) continues to impede pollinator recovery. This review identifies a critical research gap: the lack of large-scale field validation for these nano-biotechnological tools and the insufficient monitoring of wild bee populations. We present a conceptual model combining AMF-mediated stress alleviation with precision oleosin-based delivery systems to address the “Pollinator-Forage Paradox,” wherein the ecological benefits of floral resources are undermined by pesticide contamination. Through predictive modeling, this framework aims to reduce chemical residues in plant tissues, thereby protecting pollinator health. Ultimately, this approach promotes sustainable agriculture via climate-resilient sunflower systems (SDG 2, 13), the conservation of pollinator biodiversity (SDG 15), and innovation in nanobiotechnology (SDG 9, 12). Graphical abstract

Microbial interventions in the rice rhizosphere are emerging as a promising strategy to enhance crop productivity and resilience under increasing climatic stress. The rhizosphere is a dynamic interface where plant roots interact with complex microbial communities that drive nutrient cycling, resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Recent developments have redirected interest toward synthetic microbial consortia (SynComs) to supplement single-strain plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) by combining complementary functional capabilities to enhance nutrient acquisition, regulate phytohormone signaling and architecture of the root system. The review is a critical synthesis of existing information on rhizosphere engineering in rice which combines mechanistic understanding of root exudate-mediated microbial recruitment, quorum sensing, and multi-omics-elucidated functional pathways. There is evidence that SynComs have the potential to improve the efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus utilization, and improve stress tolerance in the plants, but these effects are usually obtained in controlled settings and exhibit inconsistent reproducibility in the field. Microbial competition with naturally occurring communities, environmental heterogeneity, and difficulty in maintaining consortia stability at scale, are considered as key constraints. The review also assesses new uses in the pathogen suppression via induced systemic resistance and microbial volatile signaling, and industrial-scale manufacturing plans, such as bioreactor optimization and formulation technologies such as encapsulation. Regulatory and ecological aspects, such as biosafety and long-term effects on native microbiomes are also addressed. This work offers a balanced point of view of the opportunities and challenges of microbiome engineering in rice systems by connecting molecular and translational and field-level challenges. It emphasizes the necessity of integrative strategies that can merge microbial design, host genetics and precision agriculture to attain climate-resilient and sustainable crop production.

Industrialization has significantly increased the productivity of agriculture but industrial wastes have also increased the contamination of agricultural soils. This is an increasing threat to the food safety, the stability of ecosystems and human health. Certain industrial by-products can provide short-term benefits to soil fertility and crop yields but can also introduce hazardous contaminants to agroecosystems, including heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and engineered nanoparticles. This review critically synthesizes the global evidence of sources, transport pathways, environmental fate and transfer to the food chain of industrial contaminants in agricultural soils. It emphasizes the paradox of high crop yields in spite of the clandestine build-up of toxic substances that deteriorate soil health, microbial diversity, crop safety and the long term sustainability of agriculture. The major challenges are poor management of industrial waste, lack of monitoring systems, interactions among pollutants, weak regulatory frameworks and limited knowledge about emerging contaminants under changing climatic conditions. The review also includes integrated mitigation measures such as sustainable waste management, innovative soil remediation techniques, phytoremediation, biochar use, precision agriculture and other stronger environmental policies to reduce the accumulation of contaminants and human exposure. Future perspectives emphasize the need for high-throughput monitoring tools, remote sensing, biosensors, digital soil mapping, improved risk assessment frameworks, and interdisciplinary research to better understand contaminant dynamics and develop resilient soil management strategies. In summary, the review emphasizes that sustainable agriculture should be assessed not only by crop productivity but also by soil health, environmental integrity and food safety. In the context of an increasingly industrialized world it is crucial to take a holistic and integrated approach combining scientific innovation with efficient policy implementation and continuous environmental surveillance for the protection of agricultural ecosystems and sustainable food production.