Paper · 2025 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Nanotechnology-driven coordination of shoot–root systems enhances rice nitrogen use efficiency

Chuanxi Wang; Bingxu Cheng; Zhenggao Xiao; et al.

13
claims
26
verbatim quotes
5
citations
3
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agricultural production can reduce fertilizer input, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and decrease water pollution incidence. However, improving NUE in farming systems without compromising food security remains challenging. Herein, we have successfully developed and applied selenium-based nanotechnology, which capitalizes on above- and belowground synergies to enhance field-scale NUE. Specifically, when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%, foliar application of selenium nanomaterials significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha). This enhancement promoted carbohydrate synthesis and translocation, providing abundant carbon sources for rhizosphere processes. These abundant carbon sources modulated rhizosphere N transformation processes, stimulating ammonification and nitrification while suppressing denitrification, thereby reducing methane, ammonia, and nitrous oxide emissions by 18.8 to 45.6%. In addition, compared with controls (270 kg N/ha), our approach improved rice root growth and upregulated gene expression associated with N uptake and translocation, increasing rice NUE (48.3%). While maintaining comparable yields to conventional practice, we observed significant improvements in rice quality parameters including crude protein, amino acids, and Se content. Furthermore, the application of this above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technology reduced environmental negative impacts by 41.0% and increased economic benefits by 38.2% per ton of rice produced, relative to conventional practices. This work elucidates how nano-enabled agricultural regulation achieves reduced input, enhanced efficiency, and increased income, emphasizing the high potential of nanotechnology in agricultural applications, particularly in improving the utilization efficiency of N fertilizers.

Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by-nc-nd. Read at the source ↗

The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 13

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Foliar selenium nanomaterials under 30% reduced N fertilizer significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with the reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha).

Treatment
foliar application of selenium nanomaterialse1
Outcome
photosynthesise1
Direction
enhancede1
Value
40.3%e1
Qualifier
when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%e1
Comparator
reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha)e1
Setting
field-scalee0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“we have successfully developed and applied selenium-based nanotechnology, which capitalizes on above- and belowground synergies to enhance field-scale NUE”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 276–430 · show in text ↑
e1

“when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%, foliar application of selenium nanomaterials significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 446–651 · show in text ↑
Mechanismauthor interpretationoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Enhanced photosynthesis promoted carbohydrate synthesis and translocation in rice.

Outcome
carbohydrate synthesis and translocatione2
Qualifier
This enhancemente2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%, foliar application of selenium nanomaterials significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 446–651 · show in text ↑
e2

“This enhancement promoted carbohydrate synthesis and translocation, providing abundant carbon sources for rhizosphere processes”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 653–780 · show in text ↑
Associationauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Carbon sources from enhanced photosynthesis stimulated ammonification and nitrification in the rhizosphere of rice.

Organ / stage
rhizospheree3
Outcome
ammonification and nitrificatione3
Direction
stimulatinge3

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%, foliar application of selenium nanomaterials significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 446–651 · show in text ↑
e3

“These abundant carbon sources modulated rhizosphere N transformation processes, stimulating ammonification and nitrification while suppressing denitrification”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 782–940 · show in text ↑
Associationauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Carbon sources from enhanced photosynthesis suppressed denitrification in the rhizosphere of rice.

Organ / stage
rhizospheree3
Outcome
denitrificatione3
Direction
suppressinge3

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%, foliar application of selenium nanomaterials significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 446–651 · show in text ↑
e3

“These abundant carbon sources modulated rhizosphere N transformation processes, stimulating ammonification and nitrification while suppressing denitrification”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 782–940 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Selenium-based nanotechnology reduced methane, ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions by 18.8 to 45.6% in rice.

Treatment
selenium-based nanotechnologye0
Outcome
methane, ammonia, and nitrous oxide emissionse4
Direction
reducinge4
Value
18.8 to 45.6%e4

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“we have successfully developed and applied selenium-based nanotechnology, which capitalizes on above- and belowground synergies to enhance field-scale NUE”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 276–430 · show in text ↑
e1

“when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%, foliar application of selenium nanomaterials significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 446–651 · show in text ↑
e4

“thereby reducing methane, ammonia, and nitrous oxide emissions by 18.8 to 45.6%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–1021 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Compared with controls (270 kg N/ha), the selenium-based approach improved rice root growth.

Treatment
our approache5
Outcome
root growthe5
Direction
improvede5
Comparator
controls (270 kg N/ha)e5

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e5

“compared with controls (270 kg N/ha), our approach improved rice root growth and upregulated gene expression associated with N uptake and translocation, increasing rice NUE (48.3%)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1036–1216 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Compared with controls (270 kg N/ha), the selenium-based approach upregulated rice gene expression associated with N uptake and translocation.

Treatment
our approache5
Outcome
gene expression associated with N uptake and translocatione5
Direction
upregulatede5
Comparator
controls (270 kg N/ha)e5

Not reportedGene

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e5

“compared with controls (270 kg N/ha), our approach improved rice root growth and upregulated gene expression associated with N uptake and translocation, increasing rice NUE (48.3%)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1036–1216 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Compared with controls (270 kg N/ha), the selenium-based approach increased rice NUE by 48.3%.

Treatment
our approache5
Outcome
NUEe5
Direction
increasinge5
Value
48.3%e5
Comparator
controls (270 kg N/ha)e5

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e5

“compared with controls (270 kg N/ha), our approach improved rice root growth and upregulated gene expression associated with N uptake and translocation, increasing rice NUE (48.3%)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1036–1216 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The selenium-based nano-regulation technology maintained rice yields comparable to conventional practice.

Treatment
above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technologye6
Outcome
yieldse2
Direction
no_changeinferrede2
Comparator
conventional practicee2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“when N fertilizer application was reduced by 30%, foliar application of selenium nanomaterials significantly enhanced rice photosynthesis by 40.3% compared with reduced N fertilizer treatment (189 kg N/ha)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 446–651 · show in text ↑
e6

“the application of this above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technology”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1411–1496 · show in text ↑
e2

“While maintaining comparable yields to conventional practice”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1218–1278 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

The selenium-based nano-regulation technology significantly improved rice quality parameters, including crude protein, amino acids and Se content.

Treatment
above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technologye6
Outcome
rice quality parameters including crude protein, amino acids, and Se contente2
Direction
improvementse2

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e6

“the application of this above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technology”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1411–1496 · show in text ↑
e2

“we observed significant improvements in rice quality parameters including crude protein, amino acids, and Se content”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1280–1396 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The selenium-based nano-regulation technology reduced environmental negative impacts by 41.0% per ton of rice produced relative to conventional practices.

Treatment
above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technologye5
Outcome
environmental negative impactse5
Direction
reducede5
Value
41.0%e5
Qualifier
per ton of rice producede7
Comparator
conventional practicese7

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e5

“the application of this above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technology reduced environmental negative impacts by 41.0%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1411–1544 · show in text ↑
e7

“per ton of rice produced, relative to conventional practices”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1586–1646 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The selenium-based nano-regulation technology increased economic benefits by 38.2% per ton of rice produced relative to conventional practices.

Treatment
above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technologye5
Outcome
economic benefitse6
Direction
increasede6
Value
38.2%e6
Qualifier
per ton of rice producede7
Comparator
conventional practicese7

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e5

“the application of this above- and belowground synergistic nano-regulation technology reduced environmental negative impacts by 41.0%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1411–1544 · show in text ↑
e6

“increased economic benefits by 38.2%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1549–1585 · show in text ↑
e7

“per ton of rice produced, relative to conventional practices”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1586–1646 · show in text ↑
Recommendationauthor interpretationoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

Nanotechnology has high potential for improving the utilization efficiency of N fertilizers in rice agriculture.

Outcome
utilization efficiency of N fertilizerse1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa · Taxon · picture from its Wikimedia Commons categoryDesmanthus4food · CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“rice nitrogen use efficiency”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 66–94 · show in text ↑
e1

“emphasizing the high potential of nanotechnology in agricultural applications, particularly in improving the utilization efficiency of N fertilizers”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1777–1925 · show in text ↑

selenium atom · physiology: photosynthesis · Oryza sativa (rice)Results agree

4 papers: 4 positive, 0 negative or no effect

3 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive
See all 4 papers →

nanoparticle · quality: protein · Oryza sativa (rice)Positive and negative results

11 papers: 9 positive, 2 negative or no effect

8 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction

  1. negative
  2. no effect
  3. positive

7 papers more in this group

See all 11 papers →

nanoparticle · physiology: photosynthesis · Oryza sativa (rice)Positive and negative results

31 papers: 28 positive, 3 negative or no effect

27 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction

  1. negative
  2. negative
  3. negative

27 papers more in this group

See all 31 papers →

application · physiology: photosynthesis · Oryza sativa (rice)Positive and negative results

47 papers: 46 positive, 1 negative or no effect

45 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction

  1. no effect
  2. positive
  3. positive

43 papers more in this group

See all 47 papers →

nanoparticle · yield · Oryza sativa (rice)Positive and negative results

202 papers: 189 positive, 13 negative or no effect

188 papers in the same direction as this paper · 11 in the opposite direction · 2 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. negative
  2. no effect
  3. negative

198 papers more in this group

See all 202 papers →

nanoparticle · environment: emissions · Oryza sativa (rice)Results agree

4 papers: 4 positive, 0 negative or no effect

3 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive
See all 4 papers →

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.