Duo Liu

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are pivotal to sustaining biodiversity and enhancing agricultural productivity, thanks to their unique pollination mechanisms, including “buzz pollination”. Their ability to operate under adverse conditions—low temperatures and dim light—makes them essential for crops like tomatoes, peppers, and blueberries. This study synthesizes the ecological and behavioral traits of bumblebees, such as floral fidelity and vibration pollination, and explores their indispensable role in agricultural systems, particularly in greenhouse and open-field farming. By employing a bibliometric analysis, this review identifies critical research trends and emerging frontiers in bumblebee pollination, including their integration with precision agriculture technologies like remote sensing and artificial intelligence. Notably, there is increasing research on the impacts of climate change on bumblebee behavior and distribution, with studies focusing on how environmental stressors influence pollination efficiency. Additionally, the potential of using bumblebees in agroecological approaches and their role in enhancing crop resilience in changing climates are gaining traction. Moreover, it highlights the challenges posed by habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and climate change, emphasizing the urgency of conservation efforts. This study proposes interdisciplinary strategies for optimizing bumblebee pollination services, aiming to support sustainable agriculture and strengthen ecosystem resilience. The findings provide theoretical and practical insights for leveraging bumblebee pollination to achieve global food security and ecosystem stability.

As global food security faces challenges, enhancing crop yield and stress resistance becomes imperative. This study comprehensively explores the impact of nanomaterials (NMs) on Gramineae plants, with a focus on the effects of various types of nanoparticles, such as iron-based, titanium-containing, zinc, and copper nanoparticles, on plant photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzyme activity. We found that the effects of nanoparticles largely depend on their chemical properties, particle size, concentration, and the species and developmental stage of the plant. Under appropriate conditions, specific NMs can promote the root development of Gramineae plants, enhance photosynthesis, and increase chlorophyll content. Notably, iron-based and titanium-containing nanoparticles show significant effects in promoting chlorophyll synthesis and plant growth. However, the impact of nanoparticles on oxidative stress is complex. Under certain conditions, nanoparticles can enhance plants’ antioxidant enzyme activity, improving their ability to withstand environmental stresses; excessive or inappropriate NMs may cause oxidative stress, affecting plant growth and development. Copper nanoparticles, in particular, exhibit this dual nature, being beneficial at low concentrations but potentially harmful at high concentrations. This study provides a theoretical basis for the future development of nanofertilizers aimed at precisely targeting Gramineae plants to enhance their antioxidant stress capacity and improve photosynthesis efficiency. We emphasize the importance of balancing the agricultural advantages of nanotechnology with environmental safety in practical applications. Future research should focus on a deeper understanding of the interaction mechanisms between more NMs and plants and explore strategies to reduce potential environmental impacts to ensure the health and sustainability of the ecosystem while enhancing the yield and quality of Gramineae crops.

In this study, we investigated the phytotoxicity of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) on seed germination capacity, physiological response to stress and uptake, and the transport of gold nanomaterials in broad beans. Although similar findings were observed for AuNCs on broad bean root tip cells between micronucleus assays and traditional phytotoxicity experiments, the former was more sensitive and rapid. At experimental concentrations of 0–200 mg/L, the toxicity performance of broad bean seedlings showed an overall positive correlation with the concentration of AuNCs. AuNCs posed a potential risk to the environment at a concentration of 20 mg/L. Moreover, studies on the uptake and transport of gold nanomaterials showed that the smaller the particles entering the bean, the higher the transport coefficient, while materials not entering the bean were mainly adsorbed on the root surface of the bean seedlings by competition with potassium ions.