Metal Nanoparticles and Abiotic Stress Tolerance

Nanotechnology opens a large scope of novel applications in the fields of biotechnology and agricultural industries. Nanoparticles (NPs) are described as particles with at least one dimension in the 1–100 nm size range. They have unique physicochemical properties, i.e., high surface area, high reactivity, tunable pore size, and particle morphology. Abiotic stresses like drought, salinity, flooding, heat, heavy metals, etc. are major constraints that affect the growth and productivity of plants. To overcome the impact of these abiotic stresses, many strategies could be considered to support plant growth including the use of metal nanoparticles. Several metal nanoparticles (such as Zn, Fe, Ti, Ag, Mn, Cu, and Mo NPs) are being studied to assess their potential in protecting plants from abiotic stresses, improving plants, and modulating various plant processes. The present review has investigated the beneficial role of metal nanoparticles in alleviation of various abiotic stresses in some plants