Nanobiostimulants and Plant Secondary Metabolites

The major need of the hour is to increase crop productivity while utilizing limited land resources without over-exploiting natural resources. The frequent use of pesticides as well as fertilizers affects crop productivity as well as human health. To accomplish the goal of enhancing crop productivity and yield, instead of applying chemical fertilizers, biostimulants can be used. It will limit the dependence of farmers on fertilizers, eventually reducing the use of fertilizers on cultivated area, which is more cost-effective and environment friendly. BiostimulantsBiostimulants are of plant origin and in addition may belong to microorganisms. Biostimulants are substances which when applied in limited quantity show improvement in crop yield, growth, and productivity simultaneously. Nanomaterials (NMs) and nanoparticles (NPs) are metals, semi-metals, and non-metals or nanomaterials of carbon, etc., which act as biostimulants/nanobiostimulants when applied in small quantity. It leads to enhancement and modification of nutraceutical quality, metabolism, and composition of food crop, simultaneously, strengthening the plant to sustain under stress conditions. Biotic stress and abiotic stress both lead to the production of secondary metabolites in plants. These secondary metabolites are alkaloids, terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, etc. The positive impact of the application of nanobiostimulants was identified on plants, in in vitro and in vivo conditions. Secondary metabolites are important, as they act as plant’s defense system against herbivores and pathogens and act as attractant by providing colors to plants and many other factors in plants. Nanobiostimulants influence secondary metabolites concentration by regulating plants gene expression, signaling pathways, and also modulating reactive nitrogen/oxygen species.