Soybean (Glycine max) is a crop of global significance and has low reliance on N fertilizers due to its biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) capacity, which harvests ambient N₂ as a critical ecosystem service. BNF can be severely compromised by abiotic stresses. Enhancing BNF is increasingly important not only to alleviate global food insecurity but also to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture by decreasing chemical fertilizer inputs. However, this has proven challenging using current genetic modification or bacterial nodulation methods. Here, we demonstrate that a single application of a low dose (10 mg/kg) of molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles (MoS₂ NPs) can enhance soybean BNF and grain yield by 30%, compared with conventional molybdate fertilizer. Unlike molybdate, MoS₂ NPs can more sustainably release Mo, which then is effectively incorporated as a cofactor for the synthesis of nitrogenase and molybdenum-based enzymes that subsequently enhance BNF. Sulfur is also released sustainably and incorporated into biomolecule synthesis, particularly in thiol-containing antioxidants. The superior antioxidant enzyme activity of MoS₂ NPs, together with the thiol compounds, protect the nodules from reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage, delay nodule aging, and maintain the BNF function for a longer term. The multifunctional nature of MoS₂ NPs makes them a highly effective strategy to enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. Given that the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials can be readily modulated, material performance (e.g., ROS capturing capacity) can be further enhanced by several synthesis strategies. This study thus demonstrates that nanotechnology can be an efficient and sustainable approach to enhancing BNF and crop yield under abiotic stress and combating global food insecurity.

Nanotechnology emerges as an important way to safeguard global food security amid the escalating challenges posed by the expansion of the global population and the impacts of climate change. The perfect fusion of this breakthrough technology with traditional agriculture promises to revolutionize the way agriculture is traditionally practiced and provide effective solutions to the myriad of challenges in agriculture. Particularly noteworthy are the applications of nano-fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, which have become milestones in sustainable agriculture and offer lasting alternatives to traditional methods. This review meticulously explores the key role of nano-fertilizers and pesticides in advancing sustainable agriculture. By focusing on the dynamic development of nanotechnology in the field of sustainable agriculture and its ability to address the overarching issue of global food security, this review aims to shed light on the transformative potential of nanotechnology to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable future for agriculture.

To ensure food safety, the current agricultural development has put forward requirements for improving nutritional quality and reducing the harmful accumulation of agricultural chemicals. Nano-enabled sustainable agriculture and food security have been increasingly explored as a new research frontier. Nano-fertilizers show the potential to be more efficient than traditional fertilizers, reducing the amount used while ensuring plant uptake, supplying the inorganic nutrients needed by plants, and improving the process by which plants produce organic nutrients. Other agricultural uses of nanotechnology affect crop productivity and nutrient quality in addition to nano-fertilizers. This article will review the research progress of using nanomaterials to improve nutritional quality in recent years and point out the focus of future research.

Molybdenum disulfide (nano-MoS₂) nanomaterials have shown great potential for biomedical and catalytic applications due to their unique enzyme-mimicking properties. However, their potential agricultural applications have been largely unexplored. A key factor prior to the application of nano-MoS₂ in agriculture is understanding its behavior in a complex soil-plant system, particularly in terms of its transformation. Here, we investigate the distribution and transformation of two types of nano-MoS₂ (MoS₂ nanoparticles and MoS₂ nanosheets) in a soil-soybean system through a combination of synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) and single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS). We found that MoS₂ nanoparticles (NPs) transform dynamically in soil and plant tissues, releasing molybdenum (Mo) and sulfur (S) that can be incorporated gradually into the key enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism and the antioxidant system, while the rest remain intact and act as nanozymes. Notably, there is 247.9 mg/kg of organic Mo in the nodule, while there is only 49.9 mg/kg of MoS₂ NPs. This study demonstrates that it is the transformation that leads to the multifunctionality of MoS₂, which can improve the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and growth. Therefore, MoS₂ NPs enable a 30% increase in yield compared to the traditional molybdenum fertilizer (Na₂MoO₄). Excessive transformation of MoS₂ nanosheets (NS) leads to the overaccumulation of Mo and sulfate in the plant, which damages the nodule function and yield. The study highlights the importance of understanding the transformation of nanomaterials for agricultural applications in future studies.

Food crops are attacked by microbial pathogens and insect pests, leading to significant yield reductions and economic losses. Conventional disease diagnosis and management approaches often fail to provide rapid and eco-friendly solutions. In the current situation, nanomaterials (NMs) serve a valuable role in both managing emerging pathogens and monitoring overall plant health. Nanotechnology has transformed the biotechnology industry including agriculture with specific applications such as nano-fungicides, nano-bactericides, and nano-pesticides. This review focuses on the use of various nanomaterials, including inorganic materials such as Ag, ZnO, CuO, and CeO, as well as carbon-based nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, and nano-capsules. The application of NMs holds the potential to address various challenges in food security through novel applications like advanced nano-biosensors for rapid pathogen detection and targeted disease management strategies. This includes the potential to minimize reliance on chemical inputs and contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices. Nanomaterials (NMs) promise to deliver plant hormones and signaling molecules to plants, enhancing resistance inducers against major crop pathogens. NMs against newly arising pathogens through reactive oxygen generation, membrane damage, and biochemical interference are also reviewed. However, challenges regarding the stability, toxicity, and environmental impacts of NMs are discussed, along with recommendations on green synthesis and functionalization approaches. This article aims to investigate the role of nanomaterials (NMs) in managing emerging pathogens and monitoring overall crop health offering an insightful outlook for future generations. Further biosafety aspects and larger-scale validation of NM-based applications could enable their commercialization for improving global food security. Graphical Abstract