Improved nutrient use efficiency by Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology as a revolutionary technology in agriculture has gained momentum in the last decade even though its particle size ranges between 1 and 100 nm at least in one dimension. Due to their high surface area and high reactivity better penetration into the cell, these can activate plant and microbial activities, resulting in more nutrient use efficiency.

 

Nanotechnology intervention in farming has bright prospects for improving the efficiency of nutrient use through nanoformulations of fertilizers, breaking yield barriers through bionanotechnology, surveillance and control of pests and diseases, understanding mechanisms of host-parasite interactions at the molecular level, development of new-generation pesticides and their carriers, preservation and packaging of food and food additives, strengthening of natural fibers, removal of contaminants from soil and water, improving the shelf-life of vegetables and flowers, clay-based nano resources for precision water management, reclamation of salt-affected soils and stabilization of erosion-prone surfaces.

These are commonly referred to as generic technology that offers better-built, safer, long-testing, cost-effective and smart products that will find wide applications in agriculture. Nanotechnology-based products and their applications in agriculture may include nano nutrients, nano pesticides, nanoscale carriers, nanosensors, nanochips, nanocellulose, nano barcodes, quantum dots, etc. Thus, fast-growing technology already has a significant commercial impact, which will certainly increase geometrically in the future.

It is indeed a need of the day to evolve the nano based fertilizer formulations with multiple functions in order to address issues of low fertilizer use efficiency, imbalanced fertilization, multi-nutrient deficiencies and decline of soil organic matter as fertilizers have an axial role in enhancing the food production in developing countries, especially after the introduction of high yielding and fertilizer responsive crop varieties.

Nanofertiliser technology is very innovative and some of the reports and patents strongly suggest that there is a vast scope for the formulation of the nanofertilisers. Currently, the nitrogen use efficiency is low due to the loss of 50-70% of the nitrogen supplied in the form of conventional fertilizers. New nutrient delivery systems that exploit the porous nanoscale parts of plants could reduce nitrogen loss by promoting enhanced plant N uptake. Fertilisers encapsulated in nanoparticles will increase the uptake of nutrients.

Nanonutrient Production

An essential feature of nanoparticle synthesis is the preparation of particles of specific size and shape. For agricultural use it is preferable to have particles having a size less than 20 nm, polydispersity index less than 1, zeta potential value apart from +30mV and -30mV and mostly cubed shaped particles to enter through the plant pores. Nanoparticles can be synthesized by physical, chemical, physicochemical (aerosol) and biological techniques. Grinding, thermal evaporation, sputtering and Pulse Laser Deposition technique are important physical methods. Chemical synthesis, a very powerful way of synthesis, includes techniques like sol gel, co-precipitation, microwave synthesis, micro-encapsulation, hydrothermal methods, polyvinyl pyrolidene (PVP) method and sonochemistry.

Nanotechnology in food and agriculture

Nanomaterials and nanostructures with unique chemical, physical, and mechanical properties like electrochemically active carbon nanotubes, nanofibers and fullerenes have been recently developed and applied for highly sensitive bio-chemical sensors. These nanosensors have also relevant implications for application in agriculture, in particular for soil analysis, easy bio-chemical sensing and control, water management and delivery, pesticide and nutrient delivery. Nanotechnology is considered one of the possible solutions to problems in food and agriculture. Like biotechnology, safety issues on health, biodiversity, and the environment and appropriate regulation are raised on nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology will play a vital role in developing the agricultural sector, as it can be used in agricultural products that protect plants, monitor plant growth and detect diseases. Scientists have been working towards exploring new applications of nanotechnology in agriculture and the food industry. If these discoveries are applied sensibly, the environment, the agricultural sector and the food industry will see tremendous changes for the better in the coming years.