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Review
. 2023 Dec 29;13(1):109.
doi: 10.3390/plants13010109.

Nano-Agrochemicals as Substitutes for Pesticides: Prospects and Risks

Shehbaz Ali  1 , Naveed Ahmad  2 , Mudasir A Dar  1 , Sehrish Manan  1 , Abida Rani  3 , Suliman Mohammed Suliman Alghanem  4 , Khalid Ali Khan  5 , Sivasamy Sethupathy  1 , Noureddine Elboughdiri  6   7 , Yasser S Mostafa  8 , Saad A Alamri  8 , Mohamed Hashem  9 , Muhammad Shahid  10 , Daochen Zhu  1
Affiliations
Review

Nano-Agrochemicals as Substitutes for Pesticides: Prospects and Risks

Shehbaz Ali et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

This review delves into the mesmerizing technology of nano-agrochemicals, specifically pesticides and herbicides, and their potential to aid in the achievement of UN SDG 17, which aims to reduce hunger and poverty globally. The global market for conventional pesticides and herbicides is expected to reach USD 82.9 billion by 2027, growing 2.7% annually, with North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region being the biggest markets. However, the extensive use of chemical pesticides has proven adverse effects on human health as well as the ecosystem. Therefore, the efficacy, mechanisms, and environmental impacts of conventional pesticides require sustainable alternatives for effective pest management. Undoubtedly, nano-agrochemicals have the potential to completely transform agriculture by increasing crop yields with reduced environmental contamination. The present review discusses the effectiveness and environmental impact of nanopesticides as promising strategies for sustainable agriculture. It provides a concise overview of green nano-agrochemical synthesis and agricultural applications, and the efficacy of nano-agrochemicals against pests including insects and weeds. Nano-agrochemical pesticides are investigated due to their unique size and exceptional performance advantages over conventional ones. Here, we have focused on the environmental risks and current state of nano-agrochemicals, emphasizing the need for further investigations. The review also draws the attention of agriculturists and stakeholders to the current trends of nanomaterial use in agriculture especially for reducing plant diseases and pests. A discussion of the pros and cons of nano-agrochemicals is paramount for their application in sustainable agriculture.

Keywords: agriculture; herbicides; nanomaterials; pesticides; plant disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pictorial representation of factors pertaining to NPCs and the inherent advantages they offer in protecting agricultural ecosystems.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Average usage of pesticides from 2000 to 2021 [26]. (a) Average use per area of cropland by continent, (b) World’s largest consumers (top 10 countries) of pesticides per area of cropland (kg/ha), (c) Average percentage of use for agriculture, (d) World’s largest consumers (top 10 countries) for agriculture use.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Factors affecting the effectiveness of pesticides, (b) Classification of pesticides according to nature (light orange color), classification according to application (light green color).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic diagram for the (a) green synthesis of nanoparticles, (b) application of NACs as NPCs and improvement of the efficacy of synthetic pesticides.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Schematic diagram of different types of nanocarriers which have been used to encapsulate AIs (type 2 NPCs).
Figure 6
Figure 6
A diagrammatic representation of the proposed antimicrobial mechanism for metal NPs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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