# Nano-enabled plant genetic engineering for stress resilience: current advances and future directions

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how nanotechnology can improve plant genetic engineering to help crops withstand environmental stresses caused by climate change.

## Contribution

The paper introduces nanotechnology as a novel platform for precise and efficient genetic modification of plants, overcoming limitations of traditional methods.

## Key findings

- Nano-enabled delivery systems protect genetic material and allow targeted delivery in plants.
- Nanomaterials can enhance plant stress tolerance through redox regulation and nutrient delivery.
- Future directions include biodegradable nanocarriers and integration with CRISPR technologies.

## Abstract

Plant productivity and food security are increasingly threatened by abiotic and biotic stresses intensified by climate change. Plant genetic engineering offers powerful solutions to enhance stress resilience; however, conventional transformation approaches remain constrained by limited host range, low precision, tissue culture dependency, and regulatory concerns. In this context, nanotechnology has emerged as a transformative enabling platform for precise, efficient, and species-independent delivery of genetic cargo into plant systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in nano-enabled plant genetic engineering for stress resilience, highlighting the role of diverse nanocarriers, including carbon-based nanomaterials (NMs), metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs), polymer-based nanocarriers, and metal–organic frameworks in delivering DNA, RNA interference constructs, and genome-editing components. These nanoplatforms overcome key biological barriers, protect nucleic acids from degradation, and enable controlled, targeted, and often transgene-free genetic modulation. Beyond delivery, many NMs exhibit intrinsic bioactivity, which can synergistically enhance plant stress tolerance through redox regulation, nutrient supplementation, and activation of stress-responsive pathways. The review also critically discusses regulatory and biosafety challenges associated with nano-enabled delivery systems, emphasizing the need for harmonized frameworks tailored to NMs-specific properties. Finally, future perspectives are outlined, focusing on biodegradable nanocarriers, organelle-specific targeting, and integration with CRISPR-based technologies to advance sustainable, precise, and climate-resilient crop improvement strategies.