Chapter fourteen - Application of nanoparticles in agriculture: nano-based fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and nanobiosensors

Abstract

Climate change has posed unprecedented challenges to the existing global agricultural systems and practices. Advanced nano-engineering technology can boost crop production and assure agriculture sustainability, hence, could help in achieving food security. Nanotechnology has emerged as an important field of interdisciplinary research by controlling crucial agricultural processes owing to its miniature-sized nanomaterials. The ever-increasing global population especially in developing countries faces food shortages because of environmental impacts and political instability. The crucial challenge is development of pest- and drought-resistant crops which would maximize the agricultural yield, and nanotechnology has the potential to improve the agriculture and food industry with novel nanomaterials which enhance the capacity of plants to absorb nutrients and help in rapid disease diagnosis. These nanomaterials have potential applications in agriculture as nanofertilizers and nanopesticides to trail products and nutrients levels and hence increase the productivity without decontamination of soils, and waters. It also provide protection against several microbial diseases and insect pests. Hence, researches in agriculture and food nanotechnologies are increasing because of improved food quality and safety, improved processing and nutrition and reduced agricultural inputs. Nanomaterials could reduce the amount of chemicals used in agriculture, minimize nutrient losses in fertilization, and could increase yields through pest and nutrient management. Nanomaterials could also act as sensors for monitoring soil quality of agricultural field and thus help in maintaining the optimum yield of the crops. The present chapter deals with the potential applications of novel nanomaterials in maintaining the sustainability of agriculture and challenges related with such approach.