membrane of plant so that the nanoparticle can penetrate the cell to induce targeted
alteration in the genetic makeup without hampering other essential functions of the
cell wall and membrane. Crop improvement through mutation breeding and nuclear
physics are well-known method, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization/International Atomic Energy Agency program in Vienna have significant contribution in this line since inception of the technology. Since the beginning,
scientists have been imposing X-rays, beta rays, and gamma rays on plant cells to
modify genetic makeup of crop plants (Anonymous 2004; Prasanna 2007).
Nanobiotechnology is an emerging area of research, in which modern advances in
nanotechnology have been integrated into the biology domain, in particular into
molecular biology and cell biology. This convergence of technology with biology at
the nanolevel is called “nanobiotechnology” which is a highly interdisciplinary field
of research. We are just beginning to understand the nanoscale methods used in
nature to create self-replicating, self-monitoring, self-controlling, and self-repairing
tools, materials, and structures. The term “nanobiotechnology” has been coined by
Lynn W. Jelinski who is a biophysicist at Cornell University, USA. Exploiting the
unprecedented properties of biological molecules and cell processes,
nanotechnologists can achieve many goals that are otherwise difficult or impossible
to achieve. Ladder structure of DNA serves as natural platform to nanotechnologists
for assembling nanostructures, rather than by building silicon scaffolding. It is
possible because of high specificity in bonding properties that assemble atoms
together in a predefined arrangement to create a nanostructure. Nanomachines are
being structured taking DNA as an indispensable part. Most appropriately, DNA, the
information storage molecule, may serve as the basis of the next generation of
computers. In the transforming process of microprocessors and microcircuits to
nanoprocessors and nanocircuits, microchips are replaced by DNA molecules
mounted onto silicon chips. These DNA-based processors or biochips use DNA’s
amazing capacity of storing information. Nanobiotechnology, in this way, is a
promising field of science that converges both nano/microfabrication and biological
systems to offer advantage to both. It relates to all applications of genomics
including plant, microbial, and mammalian. It helps in designing the basic tools
and subsequently the technology for collecting information of sequence and designing innovative devices to address the biologically important issues of the genomic
science and the application of this knowledge in diverse fields, particularly medicine
and agriculture (Prasanna 2007).
The usage of nanoparticles in seed before sowing is comparatively safe as several
metabolic, physiological, and morphological changes occur before the plant biomass
or seed production takes place. The high initial vigor, foliage growth, and good
germination in thickly sown crop help in suppressing the weeds and enhancing the
biomass. Some promoting and promising results have been found regarding
enhancement of germination (Khodakovskaya et al. 2009) and yield (Prasad et al.
2012) by nanoparticles (NPs) in different crops. Lu et al. (2002) have proved that
nanosized TiO 2 and SiO 2 jointly could enhance several growth-promoting parameters and in fact accelerate its germination and growth. It has also been seen that TiO 2
nanoparticles boost seed germinability and plant growth in spinach (Spinacia
330
P. Pramanik et al.
alteration in the genetic makeup without hampering other essential functions of the
cell wall and membrane. Crop improvement through mutation breeding and nuclear
physics are well-known method, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization/International Atomic Energy Agency program in Vienna have significant contribution in this line since inception of the technology. Since the beginning,
scientists have been imposing X-rays, beta rays, and gamma rays on plant cells to
modify genetic makeup of crop plants (Anonymous 2004; Prasanna 2007).
Nanobiotechnology is an emerging area of research, in which modern advances in
nanotechnology have been integrated into the biology domain, in particular into
molecular biology and cell biology. This convergence of technology with biology at
the nanolevel is called “nanobiotechnology” which is a highly interdisciplinary field
of research. We are just beginning to understand the nanoscale methods used in
nature to create self-replicating, self-monitoring, self-controlling, and self-repairing
tools, materials, and structures. The term “nanobiotechnology” has been coined by
Lynn W. Jelinski who is a biophysicist at Cornell University, USA. Exploiting the
unprecedented properties of biological molecules and cell processes,
nanotechnologists can achieve many goals that are otherwise difficult or impossible
to achieve. Ladder structure of DNA serves as natural platform to nanotechnologists
for assembling nanostructures, rather than by building silicon scaffolding. It is
possible because of high specificity in bonding properties that assemble atoms
together in a predefined arrangement to create a nanostructure. Nanomachines are
being structured taking DNA as an indispensable part. Most appropriately, DNA, the
information storage molecule, may serve as the basis of the next generation of
computers. In the transforming process of microprocessors and microcircuits to
nanoprocessors and nanocircuits, microchips are replaced by DNA molecules
mounted onto silicon chips. These DNA-based processors or biochips use DNA’s
amazing capacity of storing information. Nanobiotechnology, in this way, is a
promising field of science that converges both nano/microfabrication and biological
systems to offer advantage to both. It relates to all applications of genomics
including plant, microbial, and mammalian. It helps in designing the basic tools
and subsequently the technology for collecting information of sequence and designing innovative devices to address the biologically important issues of the genomic
science and the application of this knowledge in diverse fields, particularly medicine
and agriculture (Prasanna 2007).
The usage of nanoparticles in seed before sowing is comparatively safe as several
metabolic, physiological, and morphological changes occur before the plant biomass
or seed production takes place. The high initial vigor, foliage growth, and good
germination in thickly sown crop help in suppressing the weeds and enhancing the
biomass. Some promoting and promising results have been found regarding
enhancement of germination (Khodakovskaya et al. 2009) and yield (Prasad et al.
2012) by nanoparticles (NPs) in different crops. Lu et al. (2002) have proved that
nanosized TiO 2 and SiO 2 jointly could enhance several growth-promoting parameters and in fact accelerate its germination and growth. It has also been seen that TiO 2
nanoparticles boost seed germinability and plant growth in spinach (Spinacia
330
P. Pramanik et al.