Nanotechnology in agriculture and food

Abstract

In recent years, potential of nanotechnology in agriculture and food biotechnology has received attention of agriculture/plant biotechnologists. Although the application of nanotechnology in the field of chemistry and physics are well known and several products resulting through the use of nanotechnology are already in the market, the application of nanotechnology in agriculture and food sector is relatively new and therefore, not so widely known. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was perhaps the first in addressing this issue, when they prepared a roadmap (published in September 2003) for the application of nanotechnology in agriculture and food. The prediction was that nanotechnology would transform the entire agriculture and food industries, changing the way the crops are grown and the food is produced, processed, packaged, transported, and consumed. After this initial effort in 2003, significant progress in the application of nanotechnology in agriculture and food has been made both in the developed and developing countries of the world. A brief account of the methods used in the application of nanotechnology in the field of agriculture and food industry and the progress already made through these applications will be presented in this Review.