Nanotechnology: An Innovative Tool to Enhance Crop Production

Abstract

With the explosion of population pressure and growing limitation in arable land and water resources, the only way to increase the resource use efficiency is the development of agriculture using efficient modern technologies in a sustainable manner. Agriculture as a source of food, feed, and fiber has always been increasingly important in a world of diminishing resources and with an ever-increasing global population. Among various crop improvement tools, nanotechnology holds an eminent position in smart agriculture due to its eco-friendly nature. It has the potential to revolutionize agricultural systems by precise farming techniques and therefore may emerge as a possible solution for increasing crop yields. Nanotechnology has provided promising approaches to modernize the agricultural sector with novel tools ranging from nano-fertilizers to nano-sensors. Smart nano-sensors and delivery systems emerge as modern diagnostic tools to revolutionize the agro-industry. The application of engineered nanoparticles, carbon- or metal-based may be the solution for increasing the yield to combat the food crisis in near future. The potential of agro-nanotechnology needs to be explored at large scale, as it has multi-dimensional approach to transform the agriculture sector. Here we will discuss the role of nanotechnology as an innovative tool to revolutionize the agro-business sector.