Chaoyi Deng

This field study evaluated nanosulfur to control powdery mildew on mature grapevines (Vitis vinifera cv. Chardonnay) over 56 days (growth stages E-L 32 to E-L 35/36). Three sulfur nanoformulations, uncoated (NS), stearic acid-coated (SA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated (PVP), were applied at 1.47 kg/ha per application, alongside a commercial micronized sulfur (Microthiol Disperss) at 14.7 kg/ha, and a water-only control. The sulfur nanoformulations achieved similar plant protection against powdery mildew to micronized sulfur but at a 10-fold lower rate, demonstrating greater efficiency. While fruit yield and relative chlorophyll levels did not differ from micronized sulfur, nanosulfur treatment influenced grape quality, particularly titratable acidity, grape juice pH, and elemental content. Nanosulfur treatments enhanced oxidative stress responses, particularly catalase activity, indicating a potential role in plant host defense in grapevines. This work contributes to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the efficacy of nanomaterials in the field, not only for plant protection but also for the potential for increasing yield and crop quality in viticulture.

Nanoplastics inevitably interact with human sweat upon dermal contact, where their aggregation behavior governs the subsequent migration and penetration risks. However, the driving factors and underlying mechanisms have remained poorly understood. Herein, polyethylene nanoplastics (PENPs), the main type of nanoplastics detected in skin care products and airborne particles, were studied in batch experiments with data analyzed by machine learning. The nanoplastic concentration level (49.8%), photoaging (17.1%), and organic constituents (8.7%, mainly l-histidine) were identified as dominant factors governing aggregation. Increasing PENP concentration promoted aggregation, thereby reducing penetration possibility through sweat glands and hair follicle pores. In contrast, photoaging suppressed aggregation and elevated the penetration possibility of photoaged PENPs (APENPs). l-Histidine adsorbed on PENPs via electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interactions enhanced their dispersion and penetration possibility, whereas l-histidine promoted the aggregation of APENPs through cooperative LH-mediated electrostatic bridging among APENPs, thus reducing their penetration possibility. Moreover, model predictions indicated that higher penetration possibility in females, overweight individuals, trunk skin regions, and populations in China and Europe was attributed to higher dispersion due to lower particle concentration, stronger photoaging, and higher lactic acid in sweat. These findings contribute to understanding realistic exposure of PENPs and their molecular mechanisms of aggregation in sweat, thus providing useful insights into human health risks from dermal exposures.

This work describes the synthesis of copper-loaded carbon dots and their application for suppressing Fusarium disease in tomatoes. These carbon dots could be an effective tool for delivering copper or chelating out heavy metals in plants.

This study investigated how doping-modified copper sulfide (CuS) micronanoparticles (MNPs) influence tomato resistance against fungal pathogens. Three cuboidal CuS MNPs─undoped (CuS), iron-doped (Fe-CuS), and cerium-doped (Ce-CuS)─were foliarly applied to Fusarium-infected plants in a greenhouse study. Fe-CuS led to the highest Cu accumulation in leaves─15.7 and 158.4% higher than undoped CuS and Ce-CuS, respectively, likely due to its positive charge facilitating stronger electrostatic interactions and more efficient NPs uptake. Compared to the untreated control, the Fe-CuS foliar application resulted in a 487.7% increase in shoot biomass and a 36.8% reduction in wilt damage through activation of jasmonic acid/ethylene signaling, indicating a dual role of CuS MNPs as both a micronutrient carrier and an immune stimulant. Importantly, copper amine oxidases (CuAOs) activation may link Cu homeostasis to stress-induced H₂O₂ production, indicating a novel mechanism for nanoparticle-enabled plant immunity. These findings underscore the significant potential for CuS MNPs as an alternative to conventional copper-based fungicides, though long-term environmental behavior and life cycle impacts warrant further evaluation.

The impact of nanomaterial transformations on photosynthetic proteins remains largely unknown. We report positively charged iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles experience transformations in Arabidopsis thaliana plants in vivo that alter the formation and function of RuBisCO protein corona, a key carbon fixation enzyme. In vitro, negatively charged Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles impact the RuBisCO function but not their positively charged counterparts. Computational and in vitro proteomic analyses revealed that positively charged Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles preferentially bind to a RuBisCO small subunit that lacks active carboxylation sites. However, both positively and negatively charged nanoparticles decrease RuBisCO carboxylation activity after experiencing transformations in vivo by 3.0 and 1.7 times relative to the controls, respectively. The pH- and lipid-coating-dependent transformations that occur during nanoparticle transport across plant membranes enhance RuBisCO binding to positively charged nanoparticles affecting its distribution in chloroplasts. Elucidating the rules of how nanoparticle properties and transformations affect photosynthetic coronas is crucial for sustainable nano-enabled agriculture.

Vacuum infiltration of nanoparticles into soybean seeds can promote crop health and yields while reducing environmental impact.

Nanoenabled strategies have recently attracted attention as a sustainable platform for agricultural applications. Here, we present a mechanistic understanding of nanobiointeraction through an orthogonal investigation. Pristine (nS) and stearic acid surface-modified (cS) sulfur nanoparticles (NPs) as a multifunctional nanofertilizer were applied to tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.) through soil. Both nS and cS increased root mass by 73% and 81% and increased shoot weight by 35% and 50%, respectively, compared to the untreated controls. Bulk sulfur (bS) and ionic sulfate (iS) had no such stimulatory effect. Notably, surface modification of S NPs had a positive impact, as cS yielded 38% and 51% greater shoot weight compared to nS at 100 and 200 mg/L, respectively. Moreover, nS and cS significantly improved leaf photosynthesis by promoting the linear electron flow, quantum yield of photosystem II, and relative chlorophyll content. The time-dependent gene expression related to two S bioassimilation and signaling pathways showed a specific role of NP surface physicochemical properties. Additionally, a time-dependent Global Test and machine learning strategy applied to understand the NP surface modification domain metabolomic profiling showed that cS increased the contents of IA, tryptophan, tomatidine, and scopoletin in plant leaves compared to the other treatments. These findings provide critical mechanistic insights into the use of nanoscale sulfur as a multifunctional soil amendment to enhance plant performance as part of nanoenabled agriculture.