Gold Nanomaterials in Plant Tissue Culture: Effects and Challenges

Over or before past two and a half decades, the implication of metal-based nanoparticles and oxides in biological systems has grown significantly, yet their full impact on plant tissue culture is still not fully understood. Nanotechnology creates innovative opportunities in plant adaptation, and gold nanoparticles (AuNP) are appealing cause their unique physical and chemical features and characteristics. AuNP can determine or influence seed germination, increase photosynthetic activity, and mediate stress responses under both standard and stressful conditions. However, the effects are not homogeneous, and vary with factors like dosage, the morphology as well as chemistry of particles, surface charge, and whether a capping agent is present that influence the mechanisms for plants absorbing and reacting to AuNP. The AuNP will also stimulate somaclonal variation and callus antioxidant enzyme activity and increase the ability of the plant to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS), which positively impacts reducing stress at the cellular level. AuNP can also alter micro-RNA (miRNA) expression, which is crucial in plant growth and responding to stress that can send signals that promote plant processes that positively impact physical and chemical mechanisms. These findings are encouraging, as they are important for assessing the economic impact of using AuNP in PTC studies. The absorption, accumulation and physiological processes for nanoparticles require additional research and studies involving PTC. This chapter aims to investigate and demonstrate the unique interactions and mechanisms of action between AuNPs and plant induction in tissue culture, including challenges in PTC, and their potential role in promoting nutrient absorption, promoting targeted organogenesis and improving resistance to pathogens in explants. As per the antifungal and antimicrobial capabilities of AuNPs, they present a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative in comparison to conventional growth enhancers and potentially evolving modern plant tissue culture.