Metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) are regarded as critical tools for overcoming ongoing and prospective crop productivity challenges. MONPs with distinct physiochemical characteristics boost crop production and resistance to abiotic stresses such as drought. They have recently been used to improve plant growth, physiology, and yield of a variety of crops grown in drought-stressed settings. Additionally, they mitigate drought-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the aggregation of osmolytes, which results in enhanced osmotic adaptation and crop water balance. These roles of MONPs are based on their physicochemical and biological features, foliar application method, and the applied MONPs concentrations. In this review, we focused on three important metal oxide nanoparticles that are widely used in agriculture: titanium dioxide (TiO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), and iron oxide (Fe₃O₄). The impacts of various MONPs forms, features, and dosages on plant growth and development under drought stress are summarized and discussed. Overall, this review will contribute to our present understanding of MONPs’ effects on plants in alleviating drought stress in crop plants.

Global climate change is a significant challenge that will significantly lower crop yield and staple grain quality. The present investigation was conducted to assess the effects of the foliar application of either Si (1.5 mM) or Si nanoparticles (1.66 mM) on the yield and grain quality attributes of two wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.), cv. Shandweel 1 and cv. Gemmeiza 9, planted at normal sowing date and late sowing date (heat stress). Si and Si nanoparticles markedly mitigated the observed decline in yield and reduced the heat stress intensity index value at late sowing dates, and improved yield quality via the decreased level of protein, particularly glutenin, as well as the lowered activity of α-amylase in wheat grains, which is considered a step in improving grain quality. Moreover, Si and nanoSi significantly increased the oil absorption capacity (OAC) of the flour of stressed wheat grains. In addition, both silicon and nanosilicon provoked an increase in cellulose, pectin, total phenols, flavonoid, oxalic acid, total antioxidant power, starch and soluble protein contents, as well as Ca and K levels, in heat-stressed wheat straw, concomitant with a decrease in lignin and phytic acid contents. In conclusion, the pronounced positive effects associated with improving yield quantity and quality were observed in stressed Si-treated wheat compared with Si nanoparticle-treated ones, particularly in cv. Gemmeiza 9.

Background: Candida auris has emerged as a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen, presenting significant clinical challenges worldwide. Although considerable progress has been made in antifungal research, the specific mechanisms underlying drug resistance in C. auris remain incompletely understood. To overcome this problem, natural compounds can be used as valuable alternatives. The present study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of NEO against C. auris and to understand the functional mechanisms underlying its antifungal activity. Methods: The antifungal activity of NEO against C. auris strain CBS10913T was examined using broth microdilution and spot assays to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Mechanistic investigations were performed using phenotypic-, biochemical-, and fluorescence-based assays to evaluate its effects on cell wall integrity, membrane permeability, efflux pump activity, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, biofilm formation, and host cell adherence. Hemolytic assays were performed to evaluate preliminary biocompatibility. Results: During our study, we found that NEO showed strong fungicidal activity against C. auris, with an MIC of 500 µg/mL and an MFC of 650 µg/mL, and disrupted fungal cell wall integrity, significantly reduced ergosterol content, and inhibited efflux pump activity, leading to increased accumulation of fluorescent substrates. NEO induced increased intracellular reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative-mediated lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. Moreover, NEO also suppressed stress biofilm formation, reduced metabolic activity, and decreased adherence to buccal epithelial cells, and it showed negligible hemolytic activity up to 2× MIC, indicating preliminary biocompatibility. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that NEO utilizes broad antifungal activity through multiple functional and phenotypic mechanisms, including disruption of membrane integrity, inhibition of efflux pump, induction of oxidative stress, and suppression of biofilm formation. Although the direct effects on pathogenicity-related genes or proteins were not studied, the findings still show NEO as a promising natural antifungal agent.

Mangrove ecosystems provide essential ecological services, including coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation, yet they are increasingly threatened by emerging plant diseases. During a disease survey conducted in February 2024 in the Sihat mangrove ecosystem (Eastern Saudi Arabia), Avicennia marina leaves exhibiting necrotic leaf spot symptoms were collected and examined. Based on morphological characteristics and ITS rDNA sequence analysis, the causal agent was identified as Fusarium equiseti, representing the first report of this pathogen causing leaf spot disease in Saudi mangroves. Pathogenicity was confirmed by fulfilling Koch’s postulates on detached healthy leaves. To explore environmentally sustainable disease management strategies, a soil-derived bacterial strain (Bac4) was evaluated for antifungal activity. Molecular identification using 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed 100% similarity with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vitro assays demonstrated strong antagonistic activity of Bac4 against F. equiseti. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) significantly inhibited mycelial growth, biomass production, and spore germination in a dose-dependent manner, achieving up to 65.74% radial growth inhibition at a 50% CFS concentration. Microscopic observations revealed severe hyphal deformation, swelling, and cytoplasmic disintegration in treated fungi. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by Bac4 also suppressed fungal growth and pigmentation, and this effect was partially reversed by activated charcoal, confirming VOC-mediated antifungal activity. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of the CFS identified several bioactive metabolites, including alcohols, diketopiperazines, and actinomycin derivatives. In vivo assays using detached mangrove leaves demonstrated a disease control efficiency of 70.33%, exceeding that of the commercial fungicide Hymexazol. Overall, the results indicate that P. aeruginosa Bac4 produces both diffusible and volatile antifungal metabolites and represents a promising biocontrol agent for the sustainable management of leaf spot disease in mangrove ecosystems.

Mangrove ecosystems are among the most productive and ecologically significant coastal habitats, providing essential services such as carbon sequestration, shoreline stabilization, and biodiversity support under extreme saline and anoxic conditions. Increasing evidence highlights the pivotal role of endophytic microorganisms residing asymptomatically within mangrove plant tissues in enhancing host adaptation and ecosystem resilience. However, global patterns of their diversity, functional traits, and biotechnological potential remain fragmented across studies. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2025, retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, using a structured and reproducible search strategy. A total of 187 studies were analyzed, yielding 152 identified endophytic species. Fungi accounted for approximately 58% of reported taxa, followed by bacteria (39%) and archaea (3%), with Ascomycota and Proteobacteria emerging as dominant phyla across host species and geographic regions. Functionally, mangrove endophytes contribute to nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance, and the production of diverse bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antibacterial, and enzymatic activities. Despite these promising attributes, significant discrepancies between culture dependent and metagenomic approaches influence diversity estimates and functional interpretations, highlighting the need for standardized methodologies and integrative multi-omics frameworks. While endophytes demonstrate clear benefits at the plant level, their large-scale ecological contributions and industrial applicability remain insufficiently validated. This review bridges ecological and biotechnological perspectives by identifying key research gaps, methodological limitations, and priority directions for future studies, ultimately supporting the development of sustainable applications derived from mangrove-associated microbial resources.