Abstract:
Plant nutrition is crucial in crop productivity and providing food security to the ever-expanding population.
Application of chemical/biological fertilizers and pesticides are the mainstays for any agricultural economy.
However, there are unintended consequences of using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The environment and
ecological balance are adversely affected by their usage. Biofertilizers and biopesticides counter some undesired
environmental effects of chemical fertilizers/pesticides; despite some drawbacks associated with their use. The
recent developments in nanotechnology offer promise toward sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture
involves addressing the concerns about agriculture as well as the environment. This review briefs about
important nanomaterials used in agriculture as nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, and a combination called
nanobiofertilizers. Both nanofertilizers and nanopesticides enable slow and sustained release besides their ecofriendly
nature. They can be tailored to the specific needs of to crop. Nanofertilizers also offer greater stress
tolerance and, therefore, are of considerable value in the era of climate change. Furthermore, nanofertilizers/
nanopesticides are applied in minute amounts, reducing transportation costs associated and thus positively
affecting the economy. Their uses extend beyond such as if nanoparticles (NPs) are used at high concentrations;
they affect plant pathogens adversely. Polymer-based biodegradable nanofertilizers and nanopesticides offer
various benefits. There is also a dark side to the use of nanomaterials in agriculture. Nanotechnology often involves
the use of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, which might get access to human bodies leading to their
accumulation through bio-magnification. Although their effects on human health are not known, NPs may reach
toxic concentrations in soil and runoff into rivers, and other water bodies with their removal to become a huge
economic burden. Nevertheless, a risk-benefit analysis of nanoformulations must be ensured before their
application in sustainable agriculture.
Description:
Paper published in the Journal of Biotechnology, Volume 355, 20 August 2022, Pages 21-41. Our institutional authors are Smriti Arora, Department of Allied Health Sciences (SOHS) and Dipak Maity, Department of Chemical Engineering (SOE).