Development of Nano-Bioformulations of Nutrients for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Nanobiotechnology is being utilized for crop improvement programs around the world. It is being felt that the solution for increasing the yield of crops by efficient utilization of fertilizers lies in nanotechnology. Although the green revolution was a boon to the world economy by increasing the crop productivity, the exhaustive usage of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides resulted in the loss of biodiversity and the development of resistance by the pathogens causing depletion of soil and variable crop losses over time. The delivery of agrochemicals by nanoparticles increases the efficiency for precision farming. The conventional/nonconventional fertilizers can be nano-encapsulated which results in their slow/precise release for aiding in sustainable agriculture. In the current article, the potential of nanotechnology for mitigating problems associated with conventional agriculture will be discussed.