** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** NANOPARTICLES (NPS) OF NUTRIENTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED STRONG PROMISE IN PLANT GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY PROMOTION. HOWEVER, INEFFICIENT USE DUE TO RUN-OFF AND THE RISK OF THE NP RESIDUALS IN PLANT EDIBLE TISSUES RESTRICT THE BROADER APPLICATION OF NANO-ENABLED AGRICULTURE, BUT BOTH CAN BE MODULATED BY RATIONAL NP MODIFICATIONS THAT ALTER THEIR RETENTION ON THE LEAF SURFACE AND INTERIOR PENETRATION INTO THE PLANTS. THE PROPOSED WORK COMBINES NANOTECHNOLOGY, PLANT SCIENCES, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY TO UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF NP-LEAF SURFACE INTERACTIONS (SURFACE RETENTION AND PENETRATION) AS A FUNCTION OF NP SURFACE MODIFICATION AND MORPHOLOGY. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT APPROPRIATE MODIFICATIONS ON NP SURFACES AND EXPLOITING NP MORPHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES WILL ENABLE ACHIEVING STABLE LEAF RETENTION AND CONTROLLED PENETRATION BROADLY APPLICABLE TO A SUITE OF NPS. THIS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE DESIGN, SYNTHESIS, AND MODIFICATION OF VARIOUS AGRICULTURALLY RELEVANT NPS FOR SPECIFIC NUTRIENT DELIVERY GOALS.