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Agro-nanotechnology: A Future Technology for Sustainable Agriculture

Article in International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences · January 2018

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 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) Special Issue-7: 196-200

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2319-7692 Special Issue-7 pp. 196-200
Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Review Article
Agro-nanotechnology: A Future Technology for Sustainable Agriculture

Manikant Tripathi, Suresh Kumar, Amit Kumar,

Poonam Tripathi and Shailendra Kumar*

DST-FIST Supported Department of Microbiology, Centre of Excellence, Dr. Ram Manohar

Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad-224001 (U.P.), India
*Corresponding author

ABSTRACT

Nano-technology is making its way in agriculture throughout the world. Traditional farming
techniques have attained saturation and are neither able to increase productivity nor able to
Keywords restore ecosystems damaged by existing technologies. The global requirement of food is
Agriculture; increasing gradually. Nanotechnology would prove a boon for modern agriculture farming
Ecosystem; by improving the efficiency of nutrient uptake employing nano-fertilizers, control of pest
Food crops; and pathogen using nano-pesticides, etc. Nano-sensors are being developed that spread
Nano-fertilizers; throughout the farming fields for monitoring agro-climatic conditions required to increase
Nanotechnology productivity of quality food crops and proper management of fertilizers, pesticides and
herbicides, etc. requirement. Thus, agro-nanotechnology would be an eco-friendly, cost
effective green technology for sustainable agriculture.

Introduction

Agriculture is the major source of income in developing countries. The situation is even
developing countries, it provides food and poor in developing countries. Thus, there is
fodder. Indian agriculture suffers from low need to develop drought and pest resistant
productivity due to conventional farmers’ crops with increased minerals uptake to
practices. Indian population is increasing at maximize production level. Alfadul (2017)
alarming rate. Therefore, it is crucial time to and coauthors have reviewed that
use modern technology such as bio and nanotechnology will increases the crop yield
nanotechnology to maintain the ever by withstanding environmental conditions,
increasing demand of food crops. detection and control of crop diseases,
Nanotechnology is defined as the branch of improved crops with efficient capabilities
the science that deals with the understanding for mineral uptake from the soil. Although
and control of matter at the dimensions of the scientific studies on the applications of
about 1-100 nm, and their implications for nanotechnology in the agriculture are less
the welfare of human beings (US than a decade old yet the prospects of
Environmental Protection Agency). nanotechnology in this field are
Globally, a large proportion of people face considerable. Nanotechnology gained
daily food shortage due to changing agro- attention in agriculture with the reports
climatic conditions particularly in published by Roco (1999), the United States
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 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) Special Issue-7: 196-200

Department of Agriculture (2002), the by chemical reactions. Nanotechnology may

Nano-forum (2006), etc. These reports answer these shortcomings of chemical
focused on nanotechnology research in fertilizers/pesticides and other agricultural
agriculture applications. conditions. The advanced technologies of
21st century are making a very significant
It has been envisioned that the novel impact on the world’s economy, industry
properties of nano-scale biomaterials and people’s lives (Guere et al., 2011; Scott
combined with indigenous technologies and Chen 2013).
would have many innovative applications
for agriculture (Scott and Chen 2013). In The nanotechnology in agriculture would be
India, applications of nanoparticles could be benefit in different ways for increasing
in the areas of nano-inputs, nano-food yields of crops such as (i) to produce high
systems, Nano-biotechnology, and nano- temperature tolerant crops, (ii) development
remediation (Subramanian and Tarafdar of specialized pesticides for specific insects,
2011). However, nano-technology is likely (iii) overcome the problems of global
to overwhelm all spheres of agricultural warming, (iv) development of nanotubes
activities from tillage to sillage, presowing that store rainwater in the soil so that plants
field preparations to post cooking and food can use it in drought.
serving, and seed germination to germplasm
manipulation (Mukhopadhyay 2014). The nanotechnology has helped in making
efficacious pesticides and prevention of
The nanoparticles show extraordinary dangerous dissemination in environment by
features which are not exhibited by the placing these pesticides in nanometer
materials otherwise. For example, surface capsules which can accurately control the
area, cation exchange capacity, ion rate of pesticide release from the capsule as
adsorption, complextion, many more per need of crops (Alfadul et al., 2017). In
properties of clays would multiply if they this paper, few applications of
are brought to nano-size (Mukhopadhyay nanotechnology in agriculture are discussed.
2014). Nanoparticles may have different
surface composition, types, densities, and Applications of Nanotechnology
reactivity with respect to processes such as
adsorption and redox reactions. These Detection and control of the plant diseases
particles have high proportion of atoms
present on their surface which could be used Nanoparticles may be useful in the treatment
in synthesizing nano-materials of and monitoring of food crops diseases by
agricultural use (Maurice and Hochella targeting pathogens (Philip, 2011). Some of
2008; Waychunas et al., 2005). the nanoparticles are nano-forms of carbon,
silver, silica and alumina silicates that are
The purpose of using fertilizers is to provide use in control of crops diseases. Singh et al.,
macro and micro nutrients absent/less in (2014) reported that nano silver is the most
soil. The fertilizers directly affect the plant exploited nanoparticles in biological system.
growth and crop productivity. However, use
of chemical fertilizers is not an The capsulated nano silver removes
economically sustainable solution to crop unwanted microbes in planting soils and
productivity, while, it damages the soil restricts several other plant diseases
health due to generation of toxic compounds (Bhattacharyya 2010; Singh et al., 2014).

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 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) Special Issue-7: 196-200

Food crop production (Naderi and Abedi, 2014; Moaveni and

Kheiri, 2011).
Globally, there is increasing demands for
safe food due to the ever increasing In nano-fertilization, nutrients may be
population. Thus, technological entraped using nano-materials coated with a
advancement is necessary for completing thin film or delivered as emulsions. The
demands of healthy food. Nanotechnology slow release of nutrients from nanoparticles
can be boon in current scenario and used in coated fertilizers increase the use efficiency
the crops production and their processing. of nutrient by crops. El- Ramady (2014)
Several studies have been carried out to reported the impacts of nano-fertilizers in
determine the applicability of sustainable agriculture. Several other
nanotechnology in the detection of chemical researchers reported the possible use of
and biological compounds in many types of nano-fertilizers as an alternative to
food crops (Alfadul et al., 2017). Agro- conventional fertilization processes at low
nanotechnology focus on the sustainable cost and in smaller quantity (Naderi et al.,
food production and protection of food crops 2011; Prasad et al., 2012; Batsmanova et al.,
for both human nutrition and animal feeding 2013).
and against pests and diseases (Khot et al.,
2012). Nano-pesticides

Food security is one of the biggest issues for In agriculture, pesticides or weedicides are
every country. In future global need of food used to control pests or weeds for increasing
and nutrition by 2050 will be increased by crop yield. However, they also damage the
70% from current levels in a sustainable soil health. Nano-pesticide is an agro-
way (Chen and Yada 2011). Thus, farmers chemical combination used to overcome the
must have new and innovative technologies problems caused by conventional pesticides
and adopt modern farming practices to meet (Sasson et al., 2007). Several types of
out the future challenges of agriculture materials viz., surfactants, organic polymers
based food production (Mukhopadhyay and mineral nanoparticles that fall in the
2014). nanometer size range are used in
formulation of nano-pesticides (Alfadul et
Nano-fertilizers al., 2017). The new generation of nano-
pesticides will be specific in action against
The augmentation of fertilizers in soil is insects and does not have any harm to other
essential to supplement the soil fertility for important insects of soil (Kah et al., 2013).
better yield of food crops (Barker and
Pilbeam, 2006). However, the use of Nano-sensors
chemical fertilizers cause many adverse
environmental effects and damaged the soil The crops growth depends on proper agro-
health. Thus, there is requirement a new cost climatic conditions. For effective protection
effective ecofriendly technique for better of crops, the fast and sensitive sensors are
crop production. In this context, the use of required to detect plant pathogens. Nano-
nano-fertilizers instead of using sensors can be use all over the agricultural
conventional fertilizers will assist in fields for monitoring the fertility of soil and
controlled release of nutrients in soil and other agro climatic conditions (Alfadul et
prevent loss due to chemical fertilizers al., 2017). Such measures will lead to

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enhanced crops yield at very low economy Hochella, M.F., S.K. Lower, P.A. Maurice,
(Rai and Ingle, 2012). Researchers are et al., 2008. Nano-minerals, mineral
working on nano systems for the release of nanoparticles, and earth systems.
fertilizers and pesticides as per agro-climatic Science. 19, 1631–1635.
conditions monitored by nano-sensors. Kah, M., S. Beulke, K. Tiede and Hofmann
T. 2013. Nano-pesticides: state of
Nanotechnology is an eco-friendly and cost knowledge, environmental fate, and
effective technology for agriculture. It offers exposure modeling. Crit. Rev.
several benefits in agriculture such as Environ. Sci. Technol. 43(16), 1823–
detection of pathogens, delivery of nano- 1867.
pesticides to the specific target sites, and Khot, L.R., S. Sankaran, J.M. Maja, R.
enhanced absorption of nutrients in plants. Ehsani and Schuster E.W. 2012.
The applications of nanotechnology have Applications of nano-materials in
great potential to meet out the future agricultural production and crop
agricultural challenges such as food security. protection: a review. Crop Prot. 35,
64-70.
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