Converging Artificial Intelligence, Nanotechnology, and Microbial Biotechnology for Drought Control and Water-Smart Agriculture

This review highlights innovative integrated strategies for drought management and water-smart agriculture through the convergence of nanotechnology, microbial biotechnology, and artificial intelligence (AI). It examines the roles of nanomaterials and nano-enabled fertilizers in improving soil moisture retention, controlled nutrient delivery, and plant stress tolerance under water-limited conditions. Beneficial microbial communities are discussed for their contributions to plant drought resilience via enhanced morphological characteristics and regulation of stress-related phytohormones. AI-driven tools such as smart irrigation systems, IoT sensor networks, and predictive modeling techniques are described as means to optimize irrigation scheduling, forecast crop stress responses, and improve water use decision-making. Key findings emphasize the synergistic potential of combining nanotechnology, microbial inoculants, and AI analytics to boost crop drought resistance. Such synergies can be exemplified by combining nano-enabled fertilizers with microbial inoculants to synergistically improve soil fertility and water retention, while AI-based decision support systems integrate sensor data and climate forecasts to coordinate these interventions. The review underscores the interdisciplinary nature of these approaches and their relevance to sustainable agriculture and water resource management under climate variability and water scarcity. Future perspectives highlight the promise of precision agriculture solutions that integrate these technologies for improved drought mitigation, ecosystem resilience, and environmental sustainability. Despite extensive research on AI-based irrigation modeling, as well as the use of nanomaterials and microorganisms to mitigate the effects of drought, an integrated framework for the operationalization of these three approaches in combination has yet to be developed.

کلیدواژه ها:

Nanotechnology ، Microbial biotechnology ، artificial intelligence ، Drought Management