Role and effects of nanotechnology used in pesticides and agriculture field

Abstract

Nanotechnology is used in various fields of applied sciences such as chemists, physicists, biologists, medical doctors and engineers. Nanotechnology has been provisionally defined as relating to materials, systems and processes which operate at a scale of 100 nm or less. In the agricultural sector, nanotech research and development is likely to facilitate and frame the next stage of development of genetically modified crops, animal production inputs, chemical pesticides and precision farming techniques. Pesticides are used on large scale and most of the pesticides are resistant to biodegradation and are found to be carcinogenic in nature even at trace levels. Conventional methods of pesticide removal are disadvantageous due to their inherent time consumption or expensiveness. Nanoparticles alleviate both of these drawbacks and hence, they can be effectively utilized for the mineralization of pesticides. Nanoparticles of defined concentrations could be successfully used for the control of various plant diseases caused by several phytopathogens like silver, alumina-silicate, TiO2 carbon nanotubes etc.