Effect of Engineered Nanoparticles on Soil
Attributes and Potential in Reclamation
of Degraded Lands
Vipin Kumar Singh, Rishikesh Singh, Ajay Kumar, and Rahul Bhadouria
Abstract
Rapid upsurge in the discipline of nanoscience and
technology has led to emergence of myriads of nanoparticles. Apart from substantial application in medicine,
textile, food science, and environmental technology,
nanoparticles have received considerable application and
immense opportunities in agricultural practices. Given the
inherent potential, nanoparticle based on zinc, iron,
manganese, copper, titanium, and mixtures thereof has
been successfully employed in agricultural lands.
Although negative consequences of nanoparticle application are well recognized, the judicious application of
various nanoparticles in agriculture could improve the
soil productivity in a better way in contrast to currently
used strategies. Therefore, assessment of soil attributes
may provide important insight on possible threats of
nanoparticles in agro-ecosystem. The modulation in
characteristics like pH, moisture content, soil organic
matter, nutrient and mineral composition, microbial
attributes, fauna and enzymatic activities to a great extent
after the introduction of nanoparticle in agroecosystem is
documented. Unprecedented rise in agricultural technologies and accelerated application of agrochemicals are the
important phenomena responsible for massive degradation of agricultural lands worldwide causing decline in
crop productivity. Nanotechnology could provide important platform for efficient restoration of degraded land
areas. This chapter has reviewed on application of
engineered nanoparticles in (a) improving agricultural
productivity, (b) important techniques for nanoparticle
quantification, (c) impact on soil characteristics, and
(d) potential in management of degraded lands.
Keywords
Agriculture Á Land degradation Á Nutrient cycling Á
Restoration Á Soil enzymes Á Soil organic matter
1 Introduction
Globally very large areas of lands are described to be ecologically degraded putting great risks to goal of food security
(Xie et al. 2020; Morales and Zuleta 2020). Land degradation is observed as a detrimental phenomenon influencing
the productivity of soils. The important factors influencing
land degradation include introduction of innovative agricultural technologies and intensive application of agrochemicals (Ouyang et al. 2018). Although research and
development in farm machineries have improved crop productivity multifolds, negative consequences on soil productivity could not be denied (Shah et al. 2017). For
instance, soil compaction, changes in soil properties and
perturbation in soil organism, especially annelids and
arthropods by modern plowing instruments may substantially deteriorate the soil health, eventually overall crop
productivity (Beylich et al. 2010). Alteration in soil micropores, macropores, moisture content, and soil aggregate
structure by agri-instruments could be important contributors
for rapid decline in soil natural productivity. Excessive
application of agrochemicals like fertilizers, herbicides,
V. K. Singh (&)
Department of Botany, Centre of Advanced Study, Institute of
Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
e-mail: vipinks85@gmail.com
R. Singh
Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras
Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India
e-mail: rishikesh.iesd@gmail.com
A. Kumar
Agriculture Research Organization (ARO), Volcani Center,
P.O. Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon LeZion, Israel
e-mail: ajaykumar_bhu@yahoo.com
R. Bhadouria
Department of Botany, University of Delhi,
New Delhi, 110021, India
e-mail: rahulbhadouriya2@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. Singh et al. (eds.), Plant-Microbes-Engineered Nano-particles (PM-ENPs) Nexus in Agro-Ecosystems,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66956-0_8
119
Attributes and Potential in Reclamation
of Degraded Lands
Vipin Kumar Singh, Rishikesh Singh, Ajay Kumar, and Rahul Bhadouria
Abstract
Rapid upsurge in the discipline of nanoscience and
technology has led to emergence of myriads of nanoparticles. Apart from substantial application in medicine,
textile, food science, and environmental technology,
nanoparticles have received considerable application and
immense opportunities in agricultural practices. Given the
inherent potential, nanoparticle based on zinc, iron,
manganese, copper, titanium, and mixtures thereof has
been successfully employed in agricultural lands.
Although negative consequences of nanoparticle application are well recognized, the judicious application of
various nanoparticles in agriculture could improve the
soil productivity in a better way in contrast to currently
used strategies. Therefore, assessment of soil attributes
may provide important insight on possible threats of
nanoparticles in agro-ecosystem. The modulation in
characteristics like pH, moisture content, soil organic
matter, nutrient and mineral composition, microbial
attributes, fauna and enzymatic activities to a great extent
after the introduction of nanoparticle in agroecosystem is
documented. Unprecedented rise in agricultural technologies and accelerated application of agrochemicals are the
important phenomena responsible for massive degradation of agricultural lands worldwide causing decline in
crop productivity. Nanotechnology could provide important platform for efficient restoration of degraded land
areas. This chapter has reviewed on application of
engineered nanoparticles in (a) improving agricultural
productivity, (b) important techniques for nanoparticle
quantification, (c) impact on soil characteristics, and
(d) potential in management of degraded lands.
Keywords
Agriculture Á Land degradation Á Nutrient cycling Á
Restoration Á Soil enzymes Á Soil organic matter
1 Introduction
Globally very large areas of lands are described to be ecologically degraded putting great risks to goal of food security
(Xie et al. 2020; Morales and Zuleta 2020). Land degradation is observed as a detrimental phenomenon influencing
the productivity of soils. The important factors influencing
land degradation include introduction of innovative agricultural technologies and intensive application of agrochemicals (Ouyang et al. 2018). Although research and
development in farm machineries have improved crop productivity multifolds, negative consequences on soil productivity could not be denied (Shah et al. 2017). For
instance, soil compaction, changes in soil properties and
perturbation in soil organism, especially annelids and
arthropods by modern plowing instruments may substantially deteriorate the soil health, eventually overall crop
productivity (Beylich et al. 2010). Alteration in soil micropores, macropores, moisture content, and soil aggregate
structure by agri-instruments could be important contributors
for rapid decline in soil natural productivity. Excessive
application of agrochemicals like fertilizers, herbicides,
V. K. Singh (&)
Department of Botany, Centre of Advanced Study, Institute of
Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
e-mail: vipinks85@gmail.com
R. Singh
Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras
Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India
e-mail: rishikesh.iesd@gmail.com
A. Kumar
Agriculture Research Organization (ARO), Volcani Center,
P.O. Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon LeZion, Israel
e-mail: ajaykumar_bhu@yahoo.com
R. Bhadouria
Department of Botany, University of Delhi,
New Delhi, 110021, India
e-mail: rahulbhadouriya2@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. Singh et al. (eds.), Plant-Microbes-Engineered Nano-particles (PM-ENPs) Nexus in Agro-Ecosystems,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66956-0_8
119