application technology to reduce toxicity and adverse effects in wheat. In view of the
acclaimed reports on the use of nanotechnology as an emerging tool in wheat
research, the present chapter summarizes application of nanomaterial for (i) wheat
growth promotion; (ii) protection from biotic and abiotic stresses; (iii) surveillance,
monitoring, and detection of wheat pests; and (iv) storage, quality control, and food
grain packaging. Here an attempt has also been made to review the challenges,
limitations, and future prospects of nanotechnology to combat biotic and abiotic
stresses for sustaining wheat production system.
Keywords Agriculture · Biotic stress · Food security · Nanoparticles ·
Nanotechnology · Nanomaterial · Nanosensor · Production · Protection · Wheat
5.1 Introduction
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple food crop for more than one third of
the world population. Currently, wheat is the second highest produced (749 million
tons) cereal crop after maize (1.03 billion tons) (Savadi et al. 2018). Chaves et al.
(2013) reported that 85% and 82% of the global population depend on wheat for
basic calories and protein, respectively. By 2050, the global demand for wheat is
expected to incline by 70%, requiring an annual production increase from its present
level of 1% to 1.7% (Chenu et al. 2017). Wheat is sensitive to climate change due to
direct effects of changes in temperature, precipitation and carbon dioxide concentrations, and also due to indirect effects through changes in soil moisture and the
distribution and frequency of infestation by pests and diseases (Abeysingha et al.
2016; Asseng et al. 2014; Ludwig et al. 2009). Naresh Kumar et al. (2014) predicted
6–23% and 15–25% reduction in the wheat yield in India during 2050s and 2080s,
respectively, under projected climate change scenarios. Oerke (2006) suggested that
the global average of actual yield losses caused by all wheat diseases was about 13%
on an annual basis. In Kansas, a study covering 1976–2000 and including analysis of
18 diseases reported annual losses of 10–22% (Bockus et al. 2001). In wheat, Sr31
stem rust resistance has been effective in cultivars for more than three decades, but
its breakdown due to newly evolved race Ug99 of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici had
been reported. According to estimates, Ug99 race can result in up to 10% yield losses
in Asia alone, amounting to one to two billion US dollars per year (Duveiller et al.
2007). An estimate of yield losses of 3.7% due to leaf rust in 22 developing countries
growing more than 100 million hectares of wheat has been reported (Marasas et al.
2004). Rust epidemics causing losses exceeding 50 million US dollars per annum
occurred during the last decade at least once in all major wheat growing countries
where fungicide application is not a routine practice (Shiferaw et al. 2013). Spot
blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is reported in about nine million hectares of
wheat grown after rice in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, and yield losses of 20% have
been observed (Duveiller et al. 2005). The increasing threat of spot blotch pathogen
leads to 80% disease severity, and the losses could be as high as 100% under severe
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acclaimed reports on the use of nanotechnology as an emerging tool in wheat
research, the present chapter summarizes application of nanomaterial for (i) wheat
growth promotion; (ii) protection from biotic and abiotic stresses; (iii) surveillance,
monitoring, and detection of wheat pests; and (iv) storage, quality control, and food
grain packaging. Here an attempt has also been made to review the challenges,
limitations, and future prospects of nanotechnology to combat biotic and abiotic
stresses for sustaining wheat production system.
Keywords Agriculture · Biotic stress · Food security · Nanoparticles ·
Nanotechnology · Nanomaterial · Nanosensor · Production · Protection · Wheat
5.1 Introduction
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple food crop for more than one third of
the world population. Currently, wheat is the second highest produced (749 million
tons) cereal crop after maize (1.03 billion tons) (Savadi et al. 2018). Chaves et al.
(2013) reported that 85% and 82% of the global population depend on wheat for
basic calories and protein, respectively. By 2050, the global demand for wheat is
expected to incline by 70%, requiring an annual production increase from its present
level of 1% to 1.7% (Chenu et al. 2017). Wheat is sensitive to climate change due to
direct effects of changes in temperature, precipitation and carbon dioxide concentrations, and also due to indirect effects through changes in soil moisture and the
distribution and frequency of infestation by pests and diseases (Abeysingha et al.
2016; Asseng et al. 2014; Ludwig et al. 2009). Naresh Kumar et al. (2014) predicted
6–23% and 15–25% reduction in the wheat yield in India during 2050s and 2080s,
respectively, under projected climate change scenarios. Oerke (2006) suggested that
the global average of actual yield losses caused by all wheat diseases was about 13%
on an annual basis. In Kansas, a study covering 1976–2000 and including analysis of
18 diseases reported annual losses of 10–22% (Bockus et al. 2001). In wheat, Sr31
stem rust resistance has been effective in cultivars for more than three decades, but
its breakdown due to newly evolved race Ug99 of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici had
been reported. According to estimates, Ug99 race can result in up to 10% yield losses
in Asia alone, amounting to one to two billion US dollars per year (Duveiller et al.
2007). An estimate of yield losses of 3.7% due to leaf rust in 22 developing countries
growing more than 100 million hectares of wheat has been reported (Marasas et al.
2004). Rust epidemics causing losses exceeding 50 million US dollars per annum
occurred during the last decade at least once in all major wheat growing countries
where fungicide application is not a routine practice (Shiferaw et al. 2013). Spot
blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is reported in about nine million hectares of
wheat grown after rice in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, and yield losses of 20% have
been observed (Duveiller et al. 2005). The increasing threat of spot blotch pathogen
leads to 80% disease severity, and the losses could be as high as 100% under severe
166
P. L. Kashyap et al.