conditions (Kumar et al. 2009). Further, global yield losses due to insect pests in the
pre-green revolution era were about 5.1%; however, the losses increased to 9.3% in
the post-green revolution in the 1990s (Mondal et al. 2016). However, most likely
only 40% of wheat area is actually suffering losses in the range of 5–15% every year,
depending on the level and duration of dew and heat stress (Sharma and Duveiller
2004). Therefore, the ability of wheat to tolerate biotic and abiotic stresses is a key
aspect of yield resilience. Under such circumstances, nanotechnology certainly holds
the potential to rejuvenate wheat farming and is expected to become a dynamic
economic force in the near future. Additionally, nanotechnology-based reorientation
of wheat cultivation can boost production of quality food in sustainable and
environment-friendly manner.
Nanotechnology deals with atomic or molecular aggregates of 1–100 nanometers
in size. A vast application in crop production and protection is due to profoundly
modified physiochemical properties of nanoparticles associated with smaller size
and large surface area (Kashyap et al. 2015, 2018a; Ditta and Arshad 2016; Khot
et al. 2012). Nanoparticles of gold, silver, copper, zinc, aluminum, silica, zinc oxide,
cesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and magnetized iron have found applications in
growth promotion and development of wheat (Jasrotia et al. 2018; Lyu et al. 2017;
Iannone et al. 2016; Hafeez et al. 2015; Watson et al. 2015; Jhanzab et al. 2015; Du
et al. 2015; Ramesh et al. 2014). The nanoparticles have been used in crop production, protection, and improvement, fertilizer, and irrigation management (Kashyap
et al. 2015, 2018b; Mishra et al. 2017). Use of nanoparticles in wheat is consistently
increasing. Several beneficial effects of nanomaterials have been observed in wheat
plants (Razzaq et al. 2016). Effect of different nanoparticles on germination, growth,
physiological activities, fertilizer use efficiency, root growth, branching, biomass,
and photosynthetic activity has also been reported (Taran et al. 2017; Siddiqi and
Husen 2017; Zaimenko et al. 2014). Wheat seeds treated with metal nanoparticles
exhibited enhanced nutrient use efficiency, photosynthetic activity, grain quality,
and increased yield (Hafeez et al. 2015). Metal nanoparticles also increase photosynthetic activity and nitrogen metabolism in several crops including wheat (Kole
et al. 2013). Improvement in agronomic traits, seed gluten, and starch contents of
wheat by exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles was also postulated (Jaberzadeh
et al. 2013). Application of nanoparticles derived from silicon dioxide and titanium
dioxide enhanced germination, growth, and nitrate reductase activity in wheat
(Farooqui et al. 2016; Ditta and Arshad 2016). Nanoparticles blended with agrochemicals may provide a more efficient means for delivering pesticides and fertilizers (Kashyap et al. 2015). So far, both detrimental and beneficial effects of
nanomaterials on agronomic traits, yield, and productivity of plants including
modification in the nutritional value of food crops have been observed. In view of
the acclaimed reports on the use of nanotechnology as an emerging tool in wheat
research, it is important to understand the course of wheat crop growth in relation to
nanotechnology. The recent advances in nanotechnology and its use in growth
promotion and stress management are gradually increasing. The present chapter,
therefore, attempts to increase understanding of the role of nanotechnology in
quality wheat production and protection.
5 Nanotechnology in Wheat Production and Protection
167
pre-green revolution era were about 5.1%; however, the losses increased to 9.3% in
the post-green revolution in the 1990s (Mondal et al. 2016). However, most likely
only 40% of wheat area is actually suffering losses in the range of 5–15% every year,
depending on the level and duration of dew and heat stress (Sharma and Duveiller
2004). Therefore, the ability of wheat to tolerate biotic and abiotic stresses is a key
aspect of yield resilience. Under such circumstances, nanotechnology certainly holds
the potential to rejuvenate wheat farming and is expected to become a dynamic
economic force in the near future. Additionally, nanotechnology-based reorientation
of wheat cultivation can boost production of quality food in sustainable and
environment-friendly manner.
Nanotechnology deals with atomic or molecular aggregates of 1–100 nanometers
in size. A vast application in crop production and protection is due to profoundly
modified physiochemical properties of nanoparticles associated with smaller size
and large surface area (Kashyap et al. 2015, 2018a; Ditta and Arshad 2016; Khot
et al. 2012). Nanoparticles of gold, silver, copper, zinc, aluminum, silica, zinc oxide,
cesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and magnetized iron have found applications in
growth promotion and development of wheat (Jasrotia et al. 2018; Lyu et al. 2017;
Iannone et al. 2016; Hafeez et al. 2015; Watson et al. 2015; Jhanzab et al. 2015; Du
et al. 2015; Ramesh et al. 2014). The nanoparticles have been used in crop production, protection, and improvement, fertilizer, and irrigation management (Kashyap
et al. 2015, 2018b; Mishra et al. 2017). Use of nanoparticles in wheat is consistently
increasing. Several beneficial effects of nanomaterials have been observed in wheat
plants (Razzaq et al. 2016). Effect of different nanoparticles on germination, growth,
physiological activities, fertilizer use efficiency, root growth, branching, biomass,
and photosynthetic activity has also been reported (Taran et al. 2017; Siddiqi and
Husen 2017; Zaimenko et al. 2014). Wheat seeds treated with metal nanoparticles
exhibited enhanced nutrient use efficiency, photosynthetic activity, grain quality,
and increased yield (Hafeez et al. 2015). Metal nanoparticles also increase photosynthetic activity and nitrogen metabolism in several crops including wheat (Kole
et al. 2013). Improvement in agronomic traits, seed gluten, and starch contents of
wheat by exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles was also postulated (Jaberzadeh
et al. 2013). Application of nanoparticles derived from silicon dioxide and titanium
dioxide enhanced germination, growth, and nitrate reductase activity in wheat
(Farooqui et al. 2016; Ditta and Arshad 2016). Nanoparticles blended with agrochemicals may provide a more efficient means for delivering pesticides and fertilizers (Kashyap et al. 2015). So far, both detrimental and beneficial effects of
nanomaterials on agronomic traits, yield, and productivity of plants including
modification in the nutritional value of food crops have been observed. In view of
the acclaimed reports on the use of nanotechnology as an emerging tool in wheat
research, it is important to understand the course of wheat crop growth in relation to
nanotechnology. The recent advances in nanotechnology and its use in growth
promotion and stress management are gradually increasing. The present chapter,
therefore, attempts to increase understanding of the role of nanotechnology in
quality wheat production and protection.
5 Nanotechnology in Wheat Production and Protection
167