Nanomaterials (NM) are increasingly being used in various fields to increase production and efficiency. From diagnostics to agriculture, applications span a broad spectrum of scientific fields. In food crops, NMs are now used for a variety of purposes: detection of microbial activity, biofilm inhibition, pesticides, protection of plants from chemical deterioration, improvement of nutritive value, nanosensors, and more. On the other hand, NMs have a dark side: they can also act as contaminants, such as nanoplastics, damaging plant viability at different levels. It is important to find the perfect balance between plant growth benefits and toxic effects.
Further research is needed to understand which NMs are useful for food crop agriculture and how they should be used. The first step is to identify NMs that are potentially useful for plant viability and that are nontoxic. In addition, many NMs could also be considered in a toxicity approach, considering the way they diffuse into the environment and the lack of beneficial effects. One example is nanoplastics. They are now the most significant environmental pollutant by quantity, so delving into their impact on plants is crucial. In addition to classical toxicity studies, it is important to see if plants are also affected by the presence of NMs at the molecular level, with reference to epigenetic mechanisms. These could tell us whether plants change their metabolic activity or respond systemically. In addition, it is important to understand whether subsequent generations inherit an epigenetic fingerprint that makes them more resistant to pollution or NMs use.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, and other article types focusing on, but not limited to:
• Nanoplastics (NPs) and nanomaterials (NMs) are recognized as emerging contaminants in food and environment
• Methods for the detection of NPs and NMs in plants.
• Epigenetics and epigenomics affecting the uptake of NPs and NMs by plants.
• Epigenetics and modes of plant uptake and migration of NPs and NMs
• NPs and NMs, Plant toxicity, agricultural and nutritional risks, and future research prospects.
• The manipulation of plant epigenomes by exogenous treatments including chemicals and RNA oligos for agricultural productivity.
Keywords:
Plant toxicity, Nanoparticles and Nanomolecular, Emerging contaminants in food, detection of microbial activity, epigenetic mechanisms, Nanoplastics and nanomaterials as emerging contaminants in food and environment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Nanomaterials (NM) are increasingly being used in various fields to increase production and efficiency. From diagnostics to agriculture, applications span a broad spectrum of scientific fields. In food crops, NMs are now used for a variety of purposes: detection of microbial activity, biofilm inhibition, pesticides, protection of plants from chemical deterioration, improvement of nutritive value, nanosensors, and more. On the other hand, NMs have a dark side: they can also act as contaminants, such as nanoplastics, damaging plant viability at different levels. It is important to find the perfect balance between plant growth benefits and toxic effects.
Further research is needed to understand which NMs are useful for food crop agriculture and how they should be used. The first step is to identify NMs that are potentially useful for plant viability and that are nontoxic. In addition, many NMs could also be considered in a toxicity approach, considering the way they diffuse into the environment and the lack of beneficial effects. One example is nanoplastics. They are now the most significant environmental pollutant by quantity, so delving into their impact on plants is crucial. In addition to classical toxicity studies, it is important to see if plants are also affected by the presence of NMs at the molecular level, with reference to epigenetic mechanisms. These could tell us whether plants change their metabolic activity or respond systemically. In addition, it is important to understand whether subsequent generations inherit an epigenetic fingerprint that makes them more resistant to pollution or NMs use.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, and other article types focusing on, but not limited to:
• Nanoplastics (NPs) and nanomaterials (NMs) are recognized as emerging contaminants in food and environment
• Methods for the detection of NPs and NMs in plants.
• Epigenetics and epigenomics affecting the uptake of NPs and NMs by plants.
• Epigenetics and modes of plant uptake and migration of NPs and NMs
• NPs and NMs, Plant toxicity, agricultural and nutritional risks, and future research prospects.
• The manipulation of plant epigenomes by exogenous treatments including chemicals and RNA oligos for agricultural productivity.
Keywords:
Plant toxicity, Nanoparticles and Nanomolecular, Emerging contaminants in food, detection of microbial activity, epigenetic mechanisms, Nanoplastics and nanomaterials as emerging contaminants in food and environment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.