Plant metabolites in nanotechnology: are we missing the link to stress resilience and sustainability?

Abstract

Key message: Plant metabolites used in green nanoparticle synthesis are biologically active compounds whose functions may be retained or altered during nanoparticle formation, with important implications for plant stress resilience, plant-environment interactions, and environmental sustainability. Plant-derived metabolites are increasingly used in green nanoparticle synthesis, primarily for their reducing, capping, and stabilising properties. However, their biological functions within plants are rarely considered when evaluating nanoparticle-mediated effects on plant stress responses or environmental sustainability. This comment highlights a key mechanistic gap: whether the biological functions of plant metabolites are retained, modified, or lost following nanoparticle synthesis, and whether subsequent responses arise from nanoparticle properties, metabolite-derived surface chemistry, or their interactions. Recent evidence of physiological and rhizosphere responses to green-synthesised nanoparticles further underscores the need to resolve these relationships. Integrating plant metabolite function, physiology, and plant-environment interactions into nanotechnology research could provide a stronger biological basis for evaluating stress resilience and determining whether plant-derived nanomaterials can genuinely support environmental sustainability.