Nanotechnology in Plant Pathology: Innovative Tools for Early Pathogen Detection

Plant pathogens are critical factors that restrict crop yields, causing substantial reductions in agricultural productivity worldwide. They pose serious threats to food security and remain a major global challenge for agriculture. While chemical treatments remain the primary method for controlling plant diseases, repeated use can lead to reduced pathogen sensitivity. Excessive application can also harm the environment and disrupt soil microbiota. To promote agricultural sustainability and safeguard food security, it is essential to develop efficient diagnostic methods for the early and rapid plant pathogens detection. Various conventional and molecular techniques have been designed for the quick detection of plant pathogens. However, these methods are usually costly, time-consuming, dependent on skilled operators, and not ideal for in-field analysis. Plant protection becomes achievable with the use of nanotechnology tools such as microneedle patches, nanopore sequencing, nano barcoding, nano biosensors, quantum dots. These tools offer significant potential to enhance the sensitivity, accuracy, and speed of plant pathogen detection while enabling high-throughput analysis.