Agri-nanotechniques for plant availability of nutrients

Abstract

Nanotechnology has opened up a number of scopes for novel applications in the field of agricultural industries, because of several unique physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs), i.e., high surface area, high reactivity, tunable pore size, and particle morphology. Nanoparticles may be treated as "magic bullets," containing nanopesticides, nanofertilizers, etc., which will trigger specific cellular organelles in the plant to release their contents. So far, little information is available on the behavior of nanofertilzers in soil system, as well as utilization of nanoparticles for smart delivery of fertilizers. Still NPs have already shown promise for their potential utility in crop production in the form of nanofertilizers, nanopesticide, nanoherbicides around the world. The present chapter highlights the key role of nanoparticles in soil systems, their characterization, behavior, mobility, and effective means for the smart delivery of fertilizers that has a strong bearing on the growth and yield of plants. Nano-based slow-release or controlled-release (CR) fertilizers have the potential to increase the efficiency of nutrient uptake. In this chapter, utilization of nanoparticles for delivery of fertilizers in an agricultural production system for the sustainable environment has been described.