Drought Stress Under a Nano-Farming Approach: A Review

Abstract

Ongoing climate change is leading to more extreme weather, which affects agriculture in various ways. In semi-arid regions of the world and even in Europe, drought stress is becoming more and more frequent. Prolonged drought periods lead to severe damages on cultivated plants, which again impacts water and food resources. This review overviews how drought stress impacts plants and but also how different management practices can be applied to reduce the negative effects. A special attention is given to nano-farming where application of nanomaterials may ameliorate drought stress by increasing enzymatic antioxidants, and decreasing generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Despite the promising results of nano-farming we conclude that further research is required for emphasizing on potential negative effects, for example on nano-toxicity where particles can enter into the groundwater or into the food chain. Finally, drought stress is a complexed problem that affects all living organisms, and where a quick fix is not possible but where mankind needs to collaborate and work for a better future for all.