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Review
. 2019 Jul 13;24(14):2558.
doi: 10.3390/molecules24142558.

Applications of Nanotechnology in Plant Growth and Crop Protection: A Review

Yifen Shang  1 , Md Kamrul Hasan  1   2 , Golam Jalal Ahammed  3 , Mengqi Li  4 , Hanqin Yin  4 , Jie Zhou  5
Affiliations
Review

Applications of Nanotechnology in Plant Growth and Crop Protection: A Review

Yifen Shang et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

In the era of climate change, global agricultural systems are facing numerous, unprecedented challenges. In order to achieve food security, advanced nano-engineering is a handy tool for boosting crop production and assuring sustainability. Nanotechnology helps to improve agricultural production by increasing the efficiency of inputs and minimizing relevant losses. Nanomaterials offer a wider specific surface area to fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, nanomaterials as unique carriers of agrochemicals facilitate the site-targeted controlled delivery of nutrients with increased crop protection. Due to their direct and intended applications in the precise management and control of inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides), nanotools, such as nanobiosensors, support the development of high-tech agricultural farms. The integration of biology and nanotechnology into nonosensors has greatly increased their potential to sense and identify the environmental conditions or impairments. In this review, we summarize recent attempts at innovative uses of nanotechnologies in agriculture that may help to meet the rising demand for food and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: food security; nanoagrochemicals; nanobionics; nanosensors; nanotechnology; sustainable agriculture.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Applications of nanotechnology in agriculture. Controlled released nanofertilizers improve crop growth, yield and productivity. Nano-based target delivery approach (gene transfer) is used for crop improvement. Nanopesticides can be used for efficient crop protection. Uses of nanosensors and computerized controls greatly contribute to precision farming. Nanomaterials can also be used to promote plant stress tolerance and soil enhancement. Readers are referred to the text for further details. (Modified and redrawn from references [17,18,19,20,21,22,23]).
Figure 2
Figure 2
An overview of nanobiotechnology. Convergence of nanotechnology and biotechnology results in nanobiotech, which entails knowledge of structural engineering and genetic engineering. Nanobiotechnologies are used for different purposes in agriculture, including smart monitoring (nanosensors), target delivery of nucleic acid (gene transfer) and plant pathogen detection (nanodiagnostics). (Modified and redrawn from references [20,21,23]).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Uses of nanoparticles in plant protection. Nanoparticles can be used for multiple plant protection purposes, such as pathogen detection (nanodiagnostics), pest control (against microbial pathogens, fungi, bacteria and insects), weed control, pesticide remediation, induced resistance and so on. Readers are referred to the text for further details. (Modified and redrawn from references [17,140]).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Simplified overview of potential applications of nanomaterials in sustainable agriculture production. Improvement of crop productivity using nanomaterials in target crop genetic engineering and smart monitoring of plant response to environments with nanosensors. Applications of nanomaterials to increase crop productivity using nanofertilizers and nanopesticides. Improvement of plant growth and adaptation to progressive climate changes using nanomaterials.
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