Nanotechnology applications in sustainable agriculture: An emerging eco-friendly approach

Abstract

A vital component of any country's economic growth is agricultural development. Food scarcity is one of the major concerns, owing to the negative consequences of environmental factors. By minimizing the adverse environmental impacts, enhancing food security and productivity, and fostering social and commercial equity, nanotechnology has the possibility to have a beneficial influence on the agrifood industries. This will increase input efficiency and decrease relevant losses. Through physical and chemical processes, the development of nanoparticles (NPs) has a detrimental effect on the ecosystem. Thus, in the past few decades, nanotechnology investigations have shifted toward green synthesis to support the growing use of NPs. Green synthesis using various microorganisms offers a more reliable and sustainable alternative to traditional synthetic techniques for producing NPs in biocompatible protocols. One of the most beneficial applications of the increased specific surface area of ‘nanomaterials’ is in the production of nanofertilizers. Additionally, as distinct agrochemical carriers, nanoparticles allow for the sitetargeted, regulated nutrition delivery with improved crop protection. The current review addresses the updated information on diverse use of greensynthesized metallic NPs for sustainable agriculture development.

Keywords

• Nanotechnology
• Sustainable agriculture
• Green synthesis of nanoparticles
• Nanofertilizer
• Microorganisms