Advances of Engineered Nanofertilizers
for Modern Agriculture
Theivasanthi Thirugnanasambandan
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the applications of nanotechnology
in fertilizers and utilizations of engineered nanomaterials as
fertilizers for plants. Nanotechnology is a promising
technology that has vast applications. Its utilization in
agriculture and related fields are myriad. Recently, many
products are developed in parallel with the growing of
agri-nanotechnology. Fertilizers are the material that contains nutrients that are essential for the plants. Nanofertilizer is the new generation fertilizer. During the applications
in soils or in plant tissues, it delivers the nutrients better
than the conventional fertilizers. Nanotechnology is
applied in the preparation of nanofertilizer. This technology is highly interdisciplinary in nature and it is closely
connected with various technologies of biology such as
biotechnology, nano-biotechnology, bio-nanotechnology,
and agri-nanotechnology. These properties of nanotechnology lead to the development of the plants benevolent
nanofertilizers and related engineered nanomaterials. These
materials are in the nanometer size range particularly size
less than the plants cells. Primary nutrients, metal oxides
nanoparticles (zinc oxide and iron oxide), zeolite nanofertilizers, and carbon nanomaterial-based fertilizers are
discussed in this chapter. Nanotechnology applications in
fertilizers like slow release or controlled release fertilizers
(hydroxyapatite nanoparticles coated urea, polymer coated
fertilizers) are explored. Apart from these, applications of
coating technology in fertilizers using bio-polymers (such
as chitosan and thermoplastic starch) and sulfur are
explained. The reviewed literatures reveal that the nanofertilizers will dominate the modern agriculture.
Keywords
Chitosan fertilizers Á Hydroxyapatite urea Á Metal oxides
fertilizers Á Nano-biotechnology Á Polymer fertilizers Á
Starch fertilizers Á Sulfur fertilizers Á Zeolites fertilizers
Abbreviations
Ca
Calcium
CaCO 3
Calcium carbonate
CEC
Cation exchange capacity
CeO 2
Cerium oxide
CS
Chitosan
CuO
Copper oxide
EC
Ethyl cellulose
EC
Electrical conductivity
Fe
Ferrous
Fe 2 O 3
Iron oxide
HANPs
Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles
KH 2 PO 4 Potassium dihydrogen phosphate
KNO 3
Potassium nitrate
MAP
Monoammonium phosphate
Mg
Magnesium
Mn
Manganese
MnSO 4
Manganese sulfate
NPs
Nanoparticles
pH
Power of hydrogen or potential for hydrogen
PVA
Polyvinyl alcohol
PVP
Polyvinylpyrrolidone
SAP
Superabsorbent polymer
SPAD
Nitrogen concentration and chlorophyll content
TiO 2
Titanium oxide
WNLCF Water and nutrient loss control fertilizer
Zn
Zinc
ZnO
Zinc oxide
T. Thirugnanasambandan (&)
International Research Centre, Kalasalingam Academy
of Research and Education (Deemed University), Krishnankoil,
Tamil Nadu 626126, India
e-mail: ttheivasanthi@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_9
131