Charge, Aspect Ratio, and Plant Species Affect Uptake Efficiency and Translocation of Polymeric Agrochemical Nanocarriers

Abstract

An incomplete understanding of how agrochemical nanocarrier properties affect their uptake and translocation in plants limits their application for promoting sustainable agriculture. Herein, we investigated how the nanocarrier aspect ratio and charge affect uptake and translocation in monocot wheat (Triticum aestivum) and dicot tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) after foliar application. Leaf uptake and distribution to plant organs were quantified for polymer nanocarriers with the same diameter (∼10 nm) but different aspect ratios (low (L), medium (M), and high (H), 10−300 nm long) and charges (−50 to +15 mV). In tomato, anionic nanocarrier translocation (20.7 ± 6.7 wt %) was higher than for cationic nanocarriers (13.3 ± 4.1 wt %). In wheat, only anionic nanocarriers were transported (8.7 ± 3.8 wt %). Both low and high aspect ratio polymers translocated in tomato, but the longest nanocarrier did not translocate in wheat, suggesting a phloem transport size cutoff. Differences in translocation correlated with leaf uptake and interactions with mesophyll cells. The positive charge decreases nanocarrier penetration through the leaf epidermis and promotes uptake into mesophyll cells, decreasing apoplastic transport and phloem loading. These results suggest design parameters to provide agrochemical nanocarriers with rapid and complete leaf uptake and an ability to target agrochemicals to specific plant organs, with the potential to lower agrochemical use and the associated environmental impacts.

Benzotriazole Ultraviolet Stabilizers (BUVSs) as Potential Protein Kinase Antagonists in Rice

“…These findings offered valuable insights into the structure optimization of ATP-site-directed kinase inhibitors for developing treatments against infectious and cancer diseases. In addition, it is worth noting that while hydroponically grown plants easily get access to necessary nutrients and organic pollutants, the trends in the uptake and transport of organic pollutants in hydroponic plants are generally similar to soil cultured plants . Thus, our finding of the promoted BUVS accumulation in rice plants due to the excess stomatal openness has important implications to the bioaccumulation of BUVSs in rice grains and, thus, their exposure to populations through rice consumption.…”

Flash NanoPrecipitation as an Agrochemical Nanocarrier Formulation Platform: Phloem Uptake and Translocation after Foliar Administration

“…The majority of the reported hydrodynamic radii of these carriers are due to these hydrated blocks. The interactions between the “soft” macromolecular star polymer and the lipid bilayers of protoplasts could reasonably be different from the less soft FNP particles, given these differences in structure and properties …”

Cell Wall Pectin Content Refers to Favored Delivery of Negatively Charged Carbon Dots in Leaf Cells

“…Overall, it suggests that to benefit designing NMs for agriculture, a systematic assessment of transportation efficiency of charged nanoparticles by considering the proper control of size, charge, shape, surface coating, application methods, plant species (dicots and monocots, C3 and C4 plants) is an urgent task. Indeed, a recent study showed that the total transport of nanocarrier is different between monocot plants (∼3 to 9%, wheat) and dicot plants (8–25%, tomato), and also the wheat but not tomato plant has the limitation of size cutoff for high aspect ratio nanocarriers (300 nm long) …”

“…Indeed, a recent study showed that the total transport of nanocarrier is different between monocot plants (∼3 to 9%, wheat) and dicot plants (8−25%, tomato), and also the wheat but not tomato plant has the limitation of size cutoff for high aspect ratio nanocarriers (300 nm long). 65 Furthermore, for rational design of NMs for agriculture, besides the above-mentioned criterion, more attention should be paid to the leaf phyllosphere, such as the microbiome at the leaf surface. These microbes live either inside (endosphere) or outside (episphere) of plant tissues and play important roles in the ecology and physiology of plants.…”