Nano-fertilizers and Nano-pesticides
as Promoters of Plant Growth in Agriculture
Niloy Sarkar, Swati Chaudhary, and Mahima Kaushik
Abstract
A significant shift towards sustainable agriculture has
been observed in the past decade in order to address the
nutritional security of global population along with a
focus on minimizing environmental impact as much as
possible. This can be achieved by using nanotechnology
in agriculture field mainly in the form of engineered
nanoparticles (ENPs)-based nano-fertilizers and nanopesticides. This is due to the fact that very small amount
of conventional fertilizers actually reach the targeted site,
which can be due to leaching of chemicals, microbial
degradation, run-off, evaporation or hydrolysis. These
fertilizers in excess amount severely affect the nutrient
equilibrium of the soil. Unlike conventional agrochemicals, ENPs-based nano-fertilizers and nano-pesticides
have increased selectivity, gradual release dynamics and
resistance to physiochemical degradation. This reduces
the environmental accumulation and thus, ill effects on
the agro-ecosystem. The use of these nano-agrochemicals
also improves the crop productivity by increasing the
availability of nutrients in soil and their uptake by plants.
These nano-materials can reduce the occurrence of crop
diseases by acting upon pathogens directly, through
several mechanisms. This chapter elaborates on the role
of ENPs-based nano-fertilizers and nano-pesticides in the
growth of plants. It also elucidates various types,
mechanisms, benefits and potential applications of such
novel nano-agrochemicals, which are necessary to attain
more sustainable agriculture practices.
Keywords
Engineered nanoparticles Á Herbicides Á
Nano-agrochemicals Á Nano-toxicity Á Sustainable
agriculture
1 Introduction
The global food security and its protection faces challenges
due to increased global population and changes in the dietary
conditions. The significant factors that create hindrance in
achieving the global food security include low soil nutrients,
climatic conditions such as drought and flood, and agricultural crop pests. There are approximately 22,000 species of
plant pathogens that attack the crops globally (Adisa et al.
2019). Plant pests include a wide variety of organisms like
nematodes, molluscs, arthropods, weeds, etc. which reduce
the crop yield. Pests are thought to destroy about 18% of
crops globally. It is estimated that pesticides enhance the
growth of approximately 70% of all crops globally, whereas
without the use of the pesticides, production of fruits, vegetables and cereals may decrease up to 78, 54 and 32%,
respectively (Zhang et al. 2018). The global average of
pesticide consumption stands at 2 million tons annually, out
of which, India’s contribution is only 3.75% (Devi et al.
2017). The qualities of an ideal pesticide should include
feasible degradability, high selectivity, potent ability and
stability. Chemical engineers and agro-scientists are constantly working towards development of ideal pesticides,
which fulfil all the above-mentioned criterion. However,
overuse and misuse of pesticides cause harm not only to
human beings but also to the non-target biota, as the pesticide residues are transported to adjoining natural ecosystems. Most at risk are those who come into direct contact
N. Sarkar Á M. Kaushik (&)
Nano-Bioconjugate Chemistry Lab, Cluster Innovation Centre,
University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
e-mail: mkaushik@cic.du.ac.in
N. Sarkar
Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi,
Delhi, India
S. Chaudhary
Department of Applied Science, M.S.I.T., GGSIP University,
New Delhi, India
© 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_10
153
as Promoters of Plant Growth in Agriculture
Niloy Sarkar, Swati Chaudhary, and Mahima Kaushik
Abstract
A significant shift towards sustainable agriculture has
been observed in the past decade in order to address the
nutritional security of global population along with a
focus on minimizing environmental impact as much as
possible. This can be achieved by using nanotechnology
in agriculture field mainly in the form of engineered
nanoparticles (ENPs)-based nano-fertilizers and nanopesticides. This is due to the fact that very small amount
of conventional fertilizers actually reach the targeted site,
which can be due to leaching of chemicals, microbial
degradation, run-off, evaporation or hydrolysis. These
fertilizers in excess amount severely affect the nutrient
equilibrium of the soil. Unlike conventional agrochemicals, ENPs-based nano-fertilizers and nano-pesticides
have increased selectivity, gradual release dynamics and
resistance to physiochemical degradation. This reduces
the environmental accumulation and thus, ill effects on
the agro-ecosystem. The use of these nano-agrochemicals
also improves the crop productivity by increasing the
availability of nutrients in soil and their uptake by plants.
These nano-materials can reduce the occurrence of crop
diseases by acting upon pathogens directly, through
several mechanisms. This chapter elaborates on the role
of ENPs-based nano-fertilizers and nano-pesticides in the
growth of plants. It also elucidates various types,
mechanisms, benefits and potential applications of such
novel nano-agrochemicals, which are necessary to attain
more sustainable agriculture practices.
Keywords
Engineered nanoparticles Á Herbicides Á
Nano-agrochemicals Á Nano-toxicity Á Sustainable
agriculture
1 Introduction
The global food security and its protection faces challenges
due to increased global population and changes in the dietary
conditions. The significant factors that create hindrance in
achieving the global food security include low soil nutrients,
climatic conditions such as drought and flood, and agricultural crop pests. There are approximately 22,000 species of
plant pathogens that attack the crops globally (Adisa et al.
2019). Plant pests include a wide variety of organisms like
nematodes, molluscs, arthropods, weeds, etc. which reduce
the crop yield. Pests are thought to destroy about 18% of
crops globally. It is estimated that pesticides enhance the
growth of approximately 70% of all crops globally, whereas
without the use of the pesticides, production of fruits, vegetables and cereals may decrease up to 78, 54 and 32%,
respectively (Zhang et al. 2018). The global average of
pesticide consumption stands at 2 million tons annually, out
of which, India’s contribution is only 3.75% (Devi et al.
2017). The qualities of an ideal pesticide should include
feasible degradability, high selectivity, potent ability and
stability. Chemical engineers and agro-scientists are constantly working towards development of ideal pesticides,
which fulfil all the above-mentioned criterion. However,
overuse and misuse of pesticides cause harm not only to
human beings but also to the non-target biota, as the pesticide residues are transported to adjoining natural ecosystems. Most at risk are those who come into direct contact
N. Sarkar Á M. Kaushik (&)
Nano-Bioconjugate Chemistry Lab, Cluster Innovation Centre,
University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
e-mail: mkaushik@cic.du.ac.in
N. Sarkar
Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi,
Delhi, India
S. Chaudhary
Department of Applied Science, M.S.I.T., GGSIP University,
New Delhi, India
© 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_10
153