Nano-Biofertilizer Formulations for Agriculture: A Systematic Review on Recent Advances and Prospective Applications

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, nanotechnology has emerged as a potentially game-changing innovation. Essential minerals are mostly unavailable in modern cropping systems without the application of synthetic fertilizers, which have a serious negative impact on the ecosystem. This review focuses on the coupling of nanoparticles with biofertilizers to function as nano-biofertilizers (NBFs), which may ensure world food security in the face of the rising population. The inoculation of plants with NBFs improves plant development and resistance to stress. Metallic nanoparticles as well as organic components comprising polysaccharide and chitosan may be encapsulated, utilizing microbe-based green synthesis to make NBFs, which circumvents the limitations of conventional chemical fertilizers. The application of NBFs is just getting started, and shows more promise than other approaches for changing conventional farming into high-tech "smart" farming. This study used bibliographic analysis using Web of Science to find relevant papers on "nano biofertilizers", "plants", and "agriculture". These subjects have received a lot of attention in the literature, as shown by the co-citation patterns of these publications. The novel use of nanotechnology in agriculture is explored in this research work, which makes use of the unique characteristics of nanoscale materials to address urgent concerns including nutrient delivery, crop protection, and sustainable farming methods. This study attempts to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge by discussing the formulation, fabrication, and characterization of NBFs, as well as elucidating the mechanisms by which NBFs interact with plants and how this benefits the ability of the plant to withstand biotic and abiotic stress brought about by climate change. This review also addresses recent developments and future directions in farming using NBF formulations in the field.

Keywords: chitosan; encapsulation; microorganism; nano-biofertilizer formulations; plant growth promotion; polysaccharide; smart farming.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of the review.

Figure 2

Application of nanomaterials in plant development.

Figure 3

Graphs of high-frequency keywords over time and keyword citation network clustering used in bibliometric analysis. (A) Network visualization, (B) overlay visualization, and (C) density visualization. Bibliometric network term lines, different colors, and circles refer to the strength of their connectivity. The higher the weight of an item, the larger the label and the circle of the item. As the weight of an item increases/decreases, both the label and the corresponding circle representing the item also increase/decrease in size. A timeline is represented by a gradient from red to blue, with red denoting older publications and blue denoting newer ones. The gradient serves as a visual indicator of time passing. Red denotes significant or noteworthy elements, such as notable citations, seminal publications, or sources that are frequently mentioned. While the newer publications, rising trends, or sources that are regarded as fundamental in a certain field may all be represented by the colour blue. Additionally, it might indicate sources having a particular subject or substance.

Figure 3

Graphs of high-frequency keywords over time and keyword citation network clustering used in bibliometric analysis. (A) Network visualization, (B) overlay visualization, and (C) density visualization. Bibliometric network term lines, different colors, and circles refer to the strength of their connectivity. The higher the weight of an item, the larger the label and the circle of the item. As the weight of an item increases/decreases, both the label and the corresponding circle representing the item also increase/decrease in size. A timeline is represented by a gradient from red to blue, with red denoting older publications and blue denoting newer ones. The gradient serves as a visual indicator of time passing. Red denotes significant or noteworthy elements, such as notable citations, seminal publications, or sources that are frequently mentioned. While the newer publications, rising trends, or sources that are regarded as fundamental in a certain field may all be represented by the colour blue. Additionally, it might indicate sources having a particular subject or substance.

Figure 4

Schematic representation of various techniques used for the characterization of nanoparticles.

Figure 5

Mechanism of action of nano-biofertilizers on plants under stress conditions (constructed by authors using BioRender, Toronto, ONT, Canada).

Figure 6

Diagram depicting nanomaterials products and their waste management. (Constructed by the authors using BioRender, Toronto, ONT, Canada).