Nanotechnology in viticulture: alleviating lime stress in 1103 Paulsen Rootstock with iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs)

High lime content in agricultural soils poses a significant challenge to crop production, particularly in viticulture. Due to the persistent and detrimental effects of lime stress on plant growth, the present study investigated the potential of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄-NPs) to mitigate lime-induced stress in 1103 Paulsen American grapevine rootstock. We examined the effects of Fe₃O₄-NPs (0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 ppm) under varying lime stress conditions (0%, 20%, 40%, and 60% CaCO₃). Our findings revealed that increasing lime content progressively inhibited grapevine growth, with significant reductions in shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot length, and leaf number. Fe₃O₄-NP application demonstrated pronounced protective effects: 0.1 ppm Fe₃O₄-NPs optimized growth under non-stressed conditions, while 1 ppm Fe₃O₄-NPs significantly improved plant performance under 60% lime stress. Notably, nanoparticle treatments mitigated oxidative stress by reducing membrane damage, lipid peroxidation, and leaf temperature while maintaining photosynthetic efficiency and osmotic balance. Fe₃O₄-NPs demonstrated significant potential in mitigating lime-induced stress in grapevines, with optimal concentrations of 0.1 ppm for low–moderate lime environments and 1 ppm for high lime content areas. These findings provide a targeted nanobiotechnological approach to enhance grapevine resilience in calcareous soils, advancing sustainable viticulture strategies.