Nanofertilizers in Plant Nutrition and Stress Management

Nanofertilizers are emerging as promising tools for improving nutrient management and enhancing the sustainability of agricultural production. By exploiting nanoscale materials and delivery systems, these fertilizers can potentially increase nutrient solubility, availability, uptake, and utilization by plants while enabling more controlled and targeted nutrient release. Such characteristics may contribute to reducing nutrient losses, improving fertilizer use efficiency, and minimizing the environmental impacts associated with conventional fertilization practices. In addition, nanofertilizers have shown potential to support plant growth, productivity, and tolerance to abiotic stresses through interactions with physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes. However, their agronomic performance depends on nanoparticle properties, application methods, crop species, soil conditions, and environmental factors. A better understanding of plant–nanomaterial interactions, nutrient dynamics, environmental fate, and potential risks is therefore essential for developing safe and effective nanofertilizer strategies for sustainable agriculture.The increasing demand for agricultural productivity, combined with the need to reduce fertilizer losses and their environmental impacts, highlights the importance of developing more efficient nutrient management strategies. Although nanofertilizers offer promising opportunities to improve nutrient delivery, nutrient use efficiency, crop performance, and stress tolerance, important knowledge gaps remain regarding their mechanisms of action, effectiveness under different soil and crop conditions, appropriate application strategies, environmental fate, and potential risks. This Research Topic aims to bring together recent advances that address these challenges and contribute to the development of safe, efficient, and agronomically viable nanofertilizer technologies. Particular attention will be given to studies investigating nano-enabled nutrient delivery systems, plant–nanomaterial interactions, nutrient uptake and utilization, physiological and molecular responses, crop productivity, abiotic stress mitigation, soil–plant processes, and environmental safety. By integrating fundamental and applied research, this Research Topic seeks to support the responsible development and practical implementation of nanofertilizers in sustainable agricultural systems.This Research Topic welcomes contributions addressing recent advances in nanofertilizer development, characterization, mechanisms of action, and application in sustainable crop production. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:- Nano-enabled nutrient delivery systems- Controlled and targeted nutrient release- Nutrient uptake, transport, and use efficiency- Plant–nanomaterial and soil–plant interactions- Physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to nanofertilizers- Effects on crop growth, yield, and quality- Mitigation of abiotic stresses- Interactions with soil properties and microbial communities- Environmental fate, phytotoxicity, and biosafety- The agronomic and environmental sustainability of nanofertilizer technologies. Studies comparing nanofertilizers with conventional fertilizer sources and evaluating their performance under field conditions are particularly encouraged. We welcome Original Research, Review, Systematic Review, Mini Review, Perspective, and Methods articles that provide mechanistic insights, critical syntheses, or practical advances toward the safe and effective use of nanofertilizers in agriculture. Topic editors: Milton Garcia Costa, Jonas Pereira De Souza Júnior Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85155/nanofertilizers-in-plant-nutrition-and-stress-management