Nanoagroparticles: An emerging trend in modern agriculture system

Abstract

The application of nanotechnology in agricultural domain has drastically transformed the traditional methods of agriculture. The development of nanoagroparticles is not only enhancing the crop production but also improving the food quality, keeping in check the environmental pollution. Several nano- based agroparticles that have led to the smart agricultural systems include nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, nanoweedicides, nanosensors, etc. Apart from increasing the food productivity, these nano-based agroparticles also perform other functions such as controlled release of nutrients, delivery at target sites, sensing of disease in crops, and killing them, sense the stress conditions in the environment, minimize the release of excess chemicals into environmental matrices, etc. It is also observed that different modes of application of these nanoagroparticles influence the growth and crop productivity enormously, thus giving the alternatives to choose best course of action for crop growth. Moreover, nanotechnology in seed science has improved the quality of seeds producing healthy plants and increased crop yield. However, there are various constraints that are still needed to be addressed to bring the nanoagroparticles to commercial platforms. Mainly, knowledge about its environmental pathways and its longterm impacts on human and animal communities are the major area of concern and investigation. In the present-day scenario, the discovery of nano-integrated agroparticles is a miracle for increasing food demand, and its further enhancement could be a step toward the goal of sustainable agriculture.