Positive and negative effects of nanoparticles on plants and their applications in agriculture

Abstract

Nanotechnology is the promising field with its wide applications in biotechnology, pharmaceutical science, drug targeting, nano-medicine and other research areas. This review highlights the positive and negative impact of nanoparticles on plants and its wide applications in agricultural sciences. Effect of NPs in terms of seed germination, growth promotion and enhancement of metabolic rate has been evaluated by several scientific researches. However, NPs also exert their negative effects such as suppression of plant growth, inhibition of chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthetic efficiency etc. Effects of NPs can be either positive or negative it depending upon the plant species and type of nanoparticles used & its concentration. Modern nano-biotechnological tools have a great potential to increase food quality, global food production, plant protection, detection of plant and animal diseases, monitoring of plant growth nano-fertilizers, nano-pesticide, nano-herbicides and nano-fungicides.