Phytofabricated Metal Oxide Nanoparticles as Nano-Biostimulants for Salinity Stress Mitigation: Mechanisms, Agronomic Applications, and Translational Challenges

Jyoti Rani, Dr. Neeraj Choudhary

Abstract: Soil salinization is one of the most widely distributed abiotic factors limiting global crop production. It encompasses over 833 million hectares of land in the world and is a major factor in food insecurity in arid, semi-arid and irrigated areas. Traditional salinity management practices-leaching, gypsum amendment, developing tolerant cultivars and chemical priming-are still only partial, slow and costly measures. In the past decade, phytofabricated (plant-mediated, "green") metal-oxide nanoparticles (MO-NPs) with the small-size reactivity of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) and biocompatibility of the phytochemical capping agents have been developed as a new generation of nano-biostimulants. This review critically synthesizes knowledge on the effects of phytofabricated MO-NPs on reducing salinity stress in agronomically important crops. The chemistry of plant-extract mediated synthesis, advantages over the chemical and physical methods, and role of plant secondary metabolites (polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids and alkaloids) in particle stabilization and bioactivity is discussed. The mechanistic core includes six interconnected axes: (i) scavenging and modulation of reactive oxygen-species (ROS), (ii) restoration of Na?/K? homeostasis through regulation of the SOS, NHX and HKT transporters, (iii) accumulation of osmoprotectants (proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars), (iv) protection of the photosynthetic apparatus and membrane stability, (v) hormonal and nitric-oxide signalling, and (vi) nano-specific properties (nanozyme activity). We assess agronomic performance of wheat, maize, rice, soybean, tomato, barley and legumes-synergies with biochar, PGPR and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Last, the concept of translational bottlenecks (dose-dependent phytotoxicity and soil-microbiome perturbation, environmental persistence, regulatory ambiguity, and scalability of phytofabrication) is introduced, and a forward agenda is proposed, focusing on multi-omics integration, field validation, smart delivery, and AI-guided synthesis. However, the use of Phytofabricated MO-NPs in salinity management has enormous potential but needs to be backed by evidence-based deployment of crop-specific and ecologically informed use.

Keywords: Phytofabrication, green synthesis, metal oxide nanoparticles, salinity stress, nano-biostimulants, ROS scavenging, ion homeostasis, antioxidant enzymes, sustainable agriculture, nanotoxicity

How to Cite?: Jyoti Rani, Dr. Neeraj Choudhary, "Phytofabricated Metal Oxide Nanoparticles as Nano-Biostimulants for Salinity Stress Mitigation: Mechanisms, Agronomic Applications, and Translational Challenges", Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1512-1525, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26715215508, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26715215508

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