## 2 Advances and Achievements in Seed Biotechnologies in the Decade 2014-2024
### Seed Quality Improvement Through Biotechnological Innovations
#### 2.2.3 Nano-Enabled Seed Treatment Practices  
Several nano-enabled approaches have been at the forefront of meeting global food demands, creating a revolutionary impact [109; 110; 111]. To achieve the desired functions, nanotechnological interventions may assist traditional or modern research in crop nutrition and protection [112; 113]. Nanopriming or nano-enabled seed treatment has emerged as an eco-friendly and low-cost method to enhance crop resilience to adverse environmental conditions [114]. To deal with climate change, creating high-quality seeds and resilient crops is highly desired [115]. While gene-editing in seeds enhances vigor, germination rate nutritional profiles, etc., challenges associated with specialized procedures and longer durations for targeted metabolite [116] make it an arderth task and necessitate alternate strategies. The use of nanoscale substances, namely nanopesticles and nanofetrilizers, has been instrumental in creating more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices [117; 118]. Nanoparticle use in agrochemicals addresses the existing limitations including poor solubility, solvent pollution, low bioavailability, photolysis, and toxicity, and is successfully applied in seed treatment studies [119]. Nano-enabled seed treatment can be classified as sustained-release nanocarrier systems and the use of active nanoparticles [120; 121]. An active nanoparticle causes biological effects and comprises multi-walled carbon nanotubes that function as an agrochemical carrier, silver NPs as antimicrobials, titanium oxide NPs for photocatalysis, metal oxide NPs for improved seed germination, etc. [122; 123]. An active ingredient (synthetic or bio-based) is encapsulated in a nanocarrier and released sustainably over time as opposed to a one-time release. Plant seeds primed with nanoparticles improve seed traits and promote rapid seed germination, vigor of seedlings, and plant tolerance to abiotic stresses (including temperature, drought, and salinity) and higher yields. In addition, nano-enabled seed treatment promotes plant resilience, immunity, and crop disease tolerance, providing a prospective approach to tackle climate change [125; 126]. Particularly, priming-mediated seed treatment methods are promising and based on plant stress memory, i.e., an effective response to stress on subsequent exposure, and governed by metabolic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic changes induced by stress conditions [127]. Nano-enabled seed priming has been particularly effective in countering seed dormancy via the modulation of lipid metabolism employing carbon-primed seeds [128]. Nano-enabled priming agents have been at the forefront of seed biotechnologies with new strategies being designed to enhance seed germination. Different metal-based NPs, namely AgNPs, AuNPs, FeNPs, CuNPs, ZnNPs, carbon-based NPs, etc., are utilized for seed priming to improve seed germination, stress tolerance, and seed growth [129; 130]. While the use of NPs in seed treatment has been well documented, further research is needed to understand the physiological effect of nanopriming on seed germination and its molecular mechanisms. A study discussed that nanotubes were efficient in the seed priming of rapeseed; \"Taunit-MD\", graphene and \"Taunit-M\" were used for seed treatment, and a high percentage of seed germination was observed [131]. The key crop species: rice, barley, maize, soybean, tobacco, switchgrass, and tomato, when seed primed with single-walled carbon nanohorns, improved seed germination capacity [132]. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) positively impact water uptake and germination in tomato seeds [133]. Studies have also shown the effects of carbon nanotubes, which penetrate the seed coat and improve water movement inside the seeds [134]. However, nanoparticles' beneficial and detrimental effects on seed growth and development have been observed in multiple studies and need to be carefully executed.