The role of plants and their mycorrhizal fungi in response to soil contamination by nanomaterials
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Abstract
The increasing production and release of nanomaterials into the environment have pointed out problems about their potential toxicity in terrestrial systems, particularly within agroecosystems. Plants serve as the basis of ecological balance and trophic networks and are generally adapted to grow under certain abiotic stress conditions. However, anthropogenic nanomaterials can add additional stress burdens, disrupting plant physiology, inducing oxidative responses, interfering with ionic homeostasis, damaging essential macromolecules, and inhibiting plant growth. Mycorrhizal associations have been shown to play a protective role through mechanisms such as the immobilization of nanomaterials within fungal hyphae, modulation of ionic transport, induction of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, and stimulation of osmoprotectant production. These symbioses contribute to the attenuation of nanomaterial toxicity and enhance plant resilience. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these interactions is influenced by multiple factors, including the concentration and type of nanomaterials, the identity of the plant and fungal species involved, and soil conditions. This work offers a review of advances in understanding plant–mycorrhizal fungus interactions under soil nanocontaminant stress. It emphasizes the biological mechanisms involved in damage mitigation and highlights emerging perspectives for exploitation.
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Mundo Nano. Revista Interdisciplinaria en Nanociencias y Nanotecnología por Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México se distribuye bajo una Licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional.
Basada en una obra en http://www.mundonano.unam.mx.
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