Role of nutrient nanomaterials for the management of rice diseases: From pathogen control to yield stability

Global rice production experiences annual losses due to various stresses, among which biotic stress contributes significantly to this yield loss. Stress accelerates the decline in grain quality and grain yield. Biotic factors, including fungi, bacteria, viruses, insects, and sometimes weeds, are the primary causes of these losses. To address this issue, nutrient nanomaterials (NNMs) offer a potential solution for sustainable agriculture. Due to their nanoscale dimensions (1–100 nanometers), nanomaterials (NMs) exhibit enhanced mobility within plant systems, facilitating efficient translocation across tissues following application. This property enables improved nutrient delivery while simultaneously contributing to plant defense mechanisms against a range of phytopathogens, including Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, and Fusarium verticillioides, Bipolaris oryzae, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. This review specifically examines the application and role of NNMs, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, magnesium, iron, molybdenum, nickel, zinc, and copper, which can be used to combat diseases in rice. In addition, it discusses the underlying defense mechanisms of NNMs and the genes responsible for disease resistance and elimination. This emerging transformative approach integrates NNMs with plant defense mechanisms to explain their dual roles in enhancing nutrient utilization and mitigating rice pathogens, offering a promising outlook for future investigations.