A review on plant-derived nanomaterials: an effective and innovative insect-resistant strategy for alternate pesticide development

Abstract

Nanotechnology in agriculture has grown in recent years to improve plant care, boost crop output, defend plants against pests, and enhance the storage of agricultural products. Green nanotechnology is perhaps an emerging field and broad topic serving as an important tool for developing new technologies that are clean, non-hazardous, and especially eco-friendly to the world. Pests create substantial agronomic losses because of their genetic variations, dramatic growth, and inadequacy of control measures. The excessive use of chemical pesticides, which repel and kill pests, prompts physiological opposition and hostile natural effects. Despite several studies demonstrating the efficacy of nanostructures in the treatment of a wide range of plant pests, much less work has been done with plant-derived nanopesticides. Recently, the potential for enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture through green nanotechnology has been emphasized, for instance, by synthesizing plant-derived nanomaterials and by encapsulating active chemicals produced from plant components in various nanostructures. This review addressed recent studies, problems, and research gaps that are pivotal to the profitable progress of a nano-based strategy to protect plants from insects. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]