Abstract
The analysis of biomolecules using chemical-free techniques such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), mass spectrometry, chromatographic techniques, fluorescence methods, and electrochemical techniques is widely used for detecting DNA, RNA, and proteins. Nanoparticles have been extensively applied in biomolecule detection owing to their high sensitivity, specificity, rapid detection capabilities, cost-effectiveness, and high throughput. This review specifically focuses on nanoparticle-enabled biomolecular diagnostics for plant and agricultural applications. In this review, we will summarize the advances in DNA, RNA, and protein detection methods that utilize nanoparticles. The progression from techniques like surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy, originally used only for large biomolecule detection without defined detection limits, to methods such as surface plasmon resonance, mass spectrometry, chromatographic techniques, and fluorescence methods, which enable label-free sensing and real-time monitoring of biomolecular interactions with high sensitivity, will be discussed.