Advances of Engineered Nanofertilizers for Modern Agriculture

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the applications of nanotechnology in fertilizers and utilizations of engineered nanomaterials as fertilizers for plants. Nanotechnology is a promising technology that has vast applications. Its utilization in agriculture and related fields are myriad. Recently, many products are developed in parallel with the growing of agri-nanotechnology. Fertilizers are the material that contains nutrients that are essential for the plants. Nanofertilizer is the new generation fertilizer. During the applications in soils or in plant tissues, it delivers the nutrients better than the conventional fertilizers. Nanotechnology is applied in the preparation of nanofertilizer. This technology is highly interdisciplinary in nature and it is closely connected with various technologies of biology such as biotechnology, nano-biotechnology, bio-nanotechnology, and agri-nanotechnology. These properties of nanotechnology lead to the development of the plants benevolent nanofertilizers and related engineered nanomaterials. These materials are in the nanometer size range particularly size less than the plants cells. Primary nutrients, metal oxides nanoparticles (zinc oxide and iron oxide), zeolite nanofertilizers, and carbon nanomaterial-based fertilizers are discussed in this chapter. Nanotechnology applications in fertilizers like slow release or controlled release fertilizers (hydroxyapatite nanoparticles coated urea, polymer coated fertilizers) are explored. Apart from these, applications of coating technology in fertilizers using bio-polymers (such as chitosan and thermoplastic starch) and sulfur are explained. The reviewed literatures reveal that the nanofertilizers will dominate the modern agriculture.