NMs are hazardous in nature and may affect the chromosomal and cellular traits.
Several ENPs such as TiO 2 , ZnO, SiO 2 are
photo-chemically active and generate superoxide radicals
under light in oxygenic condition by direct transfer of
electrons (Hoffmann et al. 2007). Studies demonstrate that in
cultivated plants (such as tomato and wheat), metal-based
ENPs triggering an oxidative burst, mediating electron
transport chain and impairing ROS detoxifying mechanisms,
bring enormous genotoxicity in the plants as a consequence
(Pakrashi et al. 2014; Pagano et al. 2016). Moreover, this
eco-toxicity is multiplied under simultaneous exposure of
ENPs and UV light. The consequent generation of ROS as a
response is exploited in determination of toxicity (Sayes
et al. 2004). However, their protective effect against oxidative stress has also been observed in some studies
(Venkatachalam et al. 2017). Therefore, mechanistic
understanding of ENPs metabolism in organism and specific
cell need investigation to clarify this ambiguity. Also,
delayed impacts of environmental exposure to ENPs need
exploration to determine potential mechanisms of adaptation
(Cox et al. 2017; Singh et al. 2017). Studies on bioaccumulation of ENPs in food chain and their interaction with
other environmental pollutants needs investigation as well,
as it may affect major plant processes, compromising agricultural sustainability, detrimentally (Rana and Kalaichelvan
2013; Du et al. 2017).
The introduction of chemical or green ENPs in the fields
must be monitored carefully and closely. The nanoparticles,
having no harmful NMs, should only be allowed in agriculture for any improvement in yield and other critical
issues. The uses of polymeric ENPs in the agriculture having
plant-based insecticides coating are unique in itself and are
increasingly being permeated (Chakravarthy et al. 2012;
Perlatti et al. 2013). As soil health, ecosystem, and crop
productivity are primarily determined by soil microorganisms (Mishra and Kumar 2009), the impact of NMs on such
organisms also needs through assessment to avoid unseen
consequences due to microbial community change across
ecosystems. Accumulation of these ENPs in treated/applied
soils may threaten soil microbial communities along with
associated organisms in food chain (Simonin et al. 2016),
which may impair the ecosystem functioning at large in an
unpredictable way, owing to their crucial importance.
6 Nano-Biosensor Technology: A Path
to Smart Agriculture
In the era of changing climate, smart agriculture to achieve
the long-term goal of climate resilient development is need
of the hour (Helar and Chavan 2015). Diminishing the
material size to nano-scale brings radical change in
physicochemical properties (i.e., quantum size effect) and
good transduction properties owing to huge surface
area/volume ratio, which can be utilized for analytical purpose in agricultural products (Kandasamy and Prema 2015).
The gold ENPs (AuNPs) may be used as transducers for
several improvements of agricultural products, such as
bio-sensing devices. Biological tests measuring the presence
or activity of selected analytics of key importance become
highly sensitive and fast with its use (Vidotti et al. 2011;
Kandasamy and Prema 2015). The use of nano-biosensors
for detection of phyto-regulators and secondary metabolite
may help in real-time monitoring of plant growth and
development and understanding its environmental interactions in limiting growth conditions (Sanzari et al. 2019). It
indicates that the application of nano-scale particles may
provide numerous advantages over traditional procedures,
which can revolutionize the present-day agriculture in a
more smart way.
Nanotubes, nanocrystals, or nanoparticles and nanowires
are mostly used in optimizing signal transduction, which are
derived by the sensing elements in response to exposure to
biological and chemical analytes, having similar size. The
surface chemistry and other distinct properties of ENPs
(such as thermal, electrical, and optical) help enhance the
sensitivity, thereby reducing response time along with
improvement in detection limit, which can, therefore, be
utilized in multiplexed systems (Aragay et al. 2010; Yao
et al. 2014). The distinct physicochemical properties of
materials in nano-scale size have been exploited in development of biosensors, as signals are improved remarkably
with its use (Sagadevan and Periasamy 2014). It enables us
to develop rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective nano-biosensor
systems in agriculture, food processing industries, and
environmental monitoring. Currently, the sensors based on
nanotechnology are at initial phase of development (Fogel
and Limson 2016). Metal ENPs (such as silver, gold, and
cobalt), CNT, magnetic ENPs, and QDs are some chief
candidates which have been actively used in biosensor (device combining biological recognition element with physical/ chemical principles) development. Therefore, biosensor
converts the biological response (such as an enzyme, a
protein, an antibody, or a nucleic acid) into an electrical
signal.
Recently, different natural and artificial bio-receptors
have been identified and used widely, such as thin films,
enzymes, dendrimers (Rai et al. 2012). The progress in
nanofabrication and other techniques (such as mass spectrometry, chromatography, surface plasmon resonance,
electrophoresis chips) may stimulate sensor development.
Considerable scientific efforts in nanosensor development to
supplement decision-making in crop monitoring, in order to
achieve precise nutrients and pesticides application and
higher water use efficiency via its easy testing in soils for
Engineered Nanoparticles in Smart Agricultural Revolution …
11
Several ENPs such as TiO 2 , ZnO, SiO 2 are
photo-chemically active and generate superoxide radicals
under light in oxygenic condition by direct transfer of
electrons (Hoffmann et al. 2007). Studies demonstrate that in
cultivated plants (such as tomato and wheat), metal-based
ENPs triggering an oxidative burst, mediating electron
transport chain and impairing ROS detoxifying mechanisms,
bring enormous genotoxicity in the plants as a consequence
(Pakrashi et al. 2014; Pagano et al. 2016). Moreover, this
eco-toxicity is multiplied under simultaneous exposure of
ENPs and UV light. The consequent generation of ROS as a
response is exploited in determination of toxicity (Sayes
et al. 2004). However, their protective effect against oxidative stress has also been observed in some studies
(Venkatachalam et al. 2017). Therefore, mechanistic
understanding of ENPs metabolism in organism and specific
cell need investigation to clarify this ambiguity. Also,
delayed impacts of environmental exposure to ENPs need
exploration to determine potential mechanisms of adaptation
(Cox et al. 2017; Singh et al. 2017). Studies on bioaccumulation of ENPs in food chain and their interaction with
other environmental pollutants needs investigation as well,
as it may affect major plant processes, compromising agricultural sustainability, detrimentally (Rana and Kalaichelvan
2013; Du et al. 2017).
The introduction of chemical or green ENPs in the fields
must be monitored carefully and closely. The nanoparticles,
having no harmful NMs, should only be allowed in agriculture for any improvement in yield and other critical
issues. The uses of polymeric ENPs in the agriculture having
plant-based insecticides coating are unique in itself and are
increasingly being permeated (Chakravarthy et al. 2012;
Perlatti et al. 2013). As soil health, ecosystem, and crop
productivity are primarily determined by soil microorganisms (Mishra and Kumar 2009), the impact of NMs on such
organisms also needs through assessment to avoid unseen
consequences due to microbial community change across
ecosystems. Accumulation of these ENPs in treated/applied
soils may threaten soil microbial communities along with
associated organisms in food chain (Simonin et al. 2016),
which may impair the ecosystem functioning at large in an
unpredictable way, owing to their crucial importance.
6 Nano-Biosensor Technology: A Path
to Smart Agriculture
In the era of changing climate, smart agriculture to achieve
the long-term goal of climate resilient development is need
of the hour (Helar and Chavan 2015). Diminishing the
material size to nano-scale brings radical change in
physicochemical properties (i.e., quantum size effect) and
good transduction properties owing to huge surface
area/volume ratio, which can be utilized for analytical purpose in agricultural products (Kandasamy and Prema 2015).
The gold ENPs (AuNPs) may be used as transducers for
several improvements of agricultural products, such as
bio-sensing devices. Biological tests measuring the presence
or activity of selected analytics of key importance become
highly sensitive and fast with its use (Vidotti et al. 2011;
Kandasamy and Prema 2015). The use of nano-biosensors
for detection of phyto-regulators and secondary metabolite
may help in real-time monitoring of plant growth and
development and understanding its environmental interactions in limiting growth conditions (Sanzari et al. 2019). It
indicates that the application of nano-scale particles may
provide numerous advantages over traditional procedures,
which can revolutionize the present-day agriculture in a
more smart way.
Nanotubes, nanocrystals, or nanoparticles and nanowires
are mostly used in optimizing signal transduction, which are
derived by the sensing elements in response to exposure to
biological and chemical analytes, having similar size. The
surface chemistry and other distinct properties of ENPs
(such as thermal, electrical, and optical) help enhance the
sensitivity, thereby reducing response time along with
improvement in detection limit, which can, therefore, be
utilized in multiplexed systems (Aragay et al. 2010; Yao
et al. 2014). The distinct physicochemical properties of
materials in nano-scale size have been exploited in development of biosensors, as signals are improved remarkably
with its use (Sagadevan and Periasamy 2014). It enables us
to develop rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective nano-biosensor
systems in agriculture, food processing industries, and
environmental monitoring. Currently, the sensors based on
nanotechnology are at initial phase of development (Fogel
and Limson 2016). Metal ENPs (such as silver, gold, and
cobalt), CNT, magnetic ENPs, and QDs are some chief
candidates which have been actively used in biosensor (device combining biological recognition element with physical/ chemical principles) development. Therefore, biosensor
converts the biological response (such as an enzyme, a
protein, an antibody, or a nucleic acid) into an electrical
signal.
Recently, different natural and artificial bio-receptors
have been identified and used widely, such as thin films,
enzymes, dendrimers (Rai et al. 2012). The progress in
nanofabrication and other techniques (such as mass spectrometry, chromatography, surface plasmon resonance,
electrophoresis chips) may stimulate sensor development.
Considerable scientific efforts in nanosensor development to
supplement decision-making in crop monitoring, in order to
achieve precise nutrients and pesticides application and
higher water use efficiency via its easy testing in soils for
Engineered Nanoparticles in Smart Agricultural Revolution …
11