Nanotechnology in Bioengineering

Plant biotechnology (PBT) encompasses a multitude of scientific tools and techniques for screening and genetic manipulation of plants to develop beneficial or useful plant/plant products. The proficiency of these tools and techniques could be augmented by nanotechnological interventions. The novelty and innovativeness of the transgressing discipline of nanotechnology benchmarks the synthesis, characterization, manipulation, and applications of matter at a scale of 1–100 nm such that it digresses from its bulk counterparts manifesting neoteric properties. Nanotechnology has equipped crop biotechnologists to elucidate molecular pathways for plant responses and tailor designer crops by use of nanomaterials (NMs) as vehicles for gene or proteins. Augmenting NMs has led to development of bionic plants that could efficiently capture solar radiations for higher productivity as well as could be multiplexed to behave as sensors. Nanoprobes like semiconductor and metal nanocrystals could be very useful for high-resolution imaging of the plant cell and organs. These nanobioimaging tools could be harnessed to discern dynamics of plant cell’s biochemical and physiological responses in real time, and NMs could be used for four-dimensional imaging of plant growth responses. The plant disease theranostics has also been immensely improved, so that there is greater accuracy, speed, and sensitivity for detection of genetics of pests, pathogens, and crop plants including nanobarcodes for identification of genetically modified crops. The plant cell nanofactories could not only perform green and ecofriendly synthesis of NMs but also improve/alter seed germination and plant growth through a plethora of complex NM–biological system interactions. This chapter would perceive various nanotechnological interventions for PBT and would discuss the present status of research and development in this state-of-the-art discipline.