From nanotoxicology to nano-enabled agriculture: Following the science at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES)

Abstract

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station was founded in 1875 and has a 147-year history of “Putting Science to Work for Society.” No program exemplifies that core mission more than the Station’s 12-year effort on nanotechnology. This work first started in the realm of nanotoxicology, evaluating the negative effects of these potential emerging contaminants on crop species and in agricultural systems. However, as evidence began increasing that select nanomaterials at appropriate doses and under certain conditions could actually convey some benefit to plant species, work in nano-enabled agriculture began. With an increasing population and a changing climate driving food insecurity, CAES has developed a robust program on the safe and sustainable application of nanotechnology for food production and preservation. Initiatives include novel strategies for crop protection against a range of pathogens; enhancing crop tolerance abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and toxic metal contamination; elevating rates of photosynthesis; developing biopolymer-based delivery systems for agrochemicals with much greater efficiency and efficacy; and novel food nanoscale strategies for food preservation. By collaborating with over 30 domestic and international institutions, CAES has and will continue to lead and participate in efforts to combat global food insecurity.