The paradigm shift towards utilizing nanofertilizers paves a promising future in industrial agriculture and soilless cultivation

Abstract

Current agriculture practices need to be revisited to cope with the challenges associated with depleting groundwater, nutrient deprivation in soil, and disturbed ecosystem cycles caused as a consequence of the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides. Nanofertilizers have gained significant limelight in agricultural research to meet the ever-increasing global calorie demand and expose innovative perspectives in cultivation. Better penetration and solubility of nanofertilizers allow sustained release profile and site-targeted smart delivery of essential nutrients and growth regulators. Nanofertilizers can activate specific enzymatic reactions, triggering the physiological mechanisms of plants to survive under stressed conditions. More scientific evidence on the uptake, mechanism of action, and optimal dose requirements of such nanofertilizers in improving crop quality and yield will aid in designing novel nanofertilizers with desired fertilizer-like properties and low toxicity, thus restricting the emerging concerns of nanotoxicity. Gathering information from recent reviews and research papers on nanofertilizers, this article creates an awareness of its current application in agriculture, detailing the advancements in hydroponics and aeroponics that revolutionized conventional agricultural practices. Subsequently, it highlights the increasing use of nanocomposites and superabsorbent nanopolymers in managing abiotic/biotic stresses. Using ResearchRabbit (a citation-based literature mapping tool) the review also aims to identify the approaches/existing gaps in optimizing the nanofabrication process and address the challenges that are encountered in its commercialization.

Keywords

• Nanofertilizer
• Optimization
• Foliar
• Hydroponics
• Stress-tolerance