This 2025 Frontiers in Plant Science review synthesizes how nanoparticles (ZnO, SiO₂, TiO₂, Se, Ag, zinc ferrite, and carbon-based NPs), applied via seed priming, foliar spray, or soil/biocarrier amendments, can simultaneously mitigate salinity stress and increase grain micronutrient density in wheat. Mechanistically, NPs enhance osmotic adjustment and ion homeostasis (favoring K⁺/Na⁺ balance), upregulate antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, APX, POD) to control ROS, stabilize photosynthetic efficiency, and modulate phytohormones and stress-responsive gene networks—collectively restoring growth, water status, and yield under saline conditions. On the nutrition side, nanofertilization/nanofortification enables controlled delivery and grain enrichment with Fe, Zn, and Se, addressing hidden hunger. The review also highlights open questions on environmental behavior, soil interactions, safe-by-design formulations, and standardized application regimes for scaling sustainable wheat production under climate-driven salinity expansion.
Resource type:
Peer review