These analyses could turn out to help in enhancement of
crop production and crop yield (Lindblade et al. 1999;
Ghormade et al. 2011; Parisi et al. 2015). Further, analysis of
soil and water could help in the determination of contamination status which could help in prevention and minimization of pollution levels. This could prove essential in
decreasing food and crop contamination and supply of
pollutant-free crops to the hungry human population
(Cavalcanti et al. 2003). Interestingly, nano-robots could
also be used for measurement of physico-chemical properties of soil like temperature, salinity levels and pH. Changes
in environmental conditions could be picked up by the
nano-robots to identify alterations in weather patterns which
may help in preventing crop damage. A radio frequency
identifier (RFID) tag sensor or complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) sensors could be used for transmission of data generated by the nano-robots (Cavalcanti
et al. 2003; Collins 2006).
5.4 Nanopesticides (NPCs)
Agrochemicals, like pesticides and weedicides, have been
utilized for pest and weed control so that crop productivity is
enhanced. Less than 10% of the pesticides reach their targets
and help in pest control (Nuruzzaman et al. 2016). Unfortunately, they deplete the health of the soil system, damage
the food chain and give birth to agrochemical resistant
super-pests. NPCs have been used as an alternative for the
conventional pesticides to overcome the related issues
(Sasson et al. 2007). The NPCs are pest specific and do not
damage essential biota of the soil (Kah et al. 2013; Kah and
Hofmann 2014). Additionally, their stiff and crystalline
shapes are more stable, soluble, permeable and biodegradable in comparison with the conventional pesticides (Ul Haq
and Ijaz 2019). Different materials have been used as NPCs
like polymers, surfactants and inorganic NPs (Alfadul et al.
2017). Properties of NPCs and its effect on pests have been
shown in Fig. 3.
Technologies like nanoencapsulation and nanoformulation have been used to design a controlled release of pesticides to avoid leaching and the resulting losses without
compromising with the efficiency (Scrinis and Lyons 2007).
Genetic material could also be delivered to plants to defend
them against pest attack (Torney et al. 2007; Torney 2009).
Nanoencapsulation refers to coating pesticides with NMs,
while nanoformulation describes NMs exploited as active
components of pesticides (Nuruzzaman et al. 2016; Ul Haq
and Ijaz 2019). The nanocapsules deliver the pesticides via
dissolution, diffusion, degradation or osmosis at defined pH
(Ding and Shah 2009; Vidhyalakshmi et al. 2009). Polymeric nanocapsules were combined with pyrethroid bifenthrin in the nanoformulation and were reported to be vehicles
of pesticide delivery by greater dispersion and diminished
runoffs (Petosa et al. 2017).
Nanopesticides could be delivered in the form of emulsions like gel or creams and liquids. NPC products available
in the market include Karate ZEON and ‘Gutbuster’, which
Fig. 2 Variety of data generated
by nanosensors
36
A. Kumar et al.
crop production and crop yield (Lindblade et al. 1999;
Ghormade et al. 2011; Parisi et al. 2015). Further, analysis of
soil and water could help in the determination of contamination status which could help in prevention and minimization of pollution levels. This could prove essential in
decreasing food and crop contamination and supply of
pollutant-free crops to the hungry human population
(Cavalcanti et al. 2003). Interestingly, nano-robots could
also be used for measurement of physico-chemical properties of soil like temperature, salinity levels and pH. Changes
in environmental conditions could be picked up by the
nano-robots to identify alterations in weather patterns which
may help in preventing crop damage. A radio frequency
identifier (RFID) tag sensor or complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) sensors could be used for transmission of data generated by the nano-robots (Cavalcanti
et al. 2003; Collins 2006).
5.4 Nanopesticides (NPCs)
Agrochemicals, like pesticides and weedicides, have been
utilized for pest and weed control so that crop productivity is
enhanced. Less than 10% of the pesticides reach their targets
and help in pest control (Nuruzzaman et al. 2016). Unfortunately, they deplete the health of the soil system, damage
the food chain and give birth to agrochemical resistant
super-pests. NPCs have been used as an alternative for the
conventional pesticides to overcome the related issues
(Sasson et al. 2007). The NPCs are pest specific and do not
damage essential biota of the soil (Kah et al. 2013; Kah and
Hofmann 2014). Additionally, their stiff and crystalline
shapes are more stable, soluble, permeable and biodegradable in comparison with the conventional pesticides (Ul Haq
and Ijaz 2019). Different materials have been used as NPCs
like polymers, surfactants and inorganic NPs (Alfadul et al.
2017). Properties of NPCs and its effect on pests have been
shown in Fig. 3.
Technologies like nanoencapsulation and nanoformulation have been used to design a controlled release of pesticides to avoid leaching and the resulting losses without
compromising with the efficiency (Scrinis and Lyons 2007).
Genetic material could also be delivered to plants to defend
them against pest attack (Torney et al. 2007; Torney 2009).
Nanoencapsulation refers to coating pesticides with NMs,
while nanoformulation describes NMs exploited as active
components of pesticides (Nuruzzaman et al. 2016; Ul Haq
and Ijaz 2019). The nanocapsules deliver the pesticides via
dissolution, diffusion, degradation or osmosis at defined pH
(Ding and Shah 2009; Vidhyalakshmi et al. 2009). Polymeric nanocapsules were combined with pyrethroid bifenthrin in the nanoformulation and were reported to be vehicles
of pesticide delivery by greater dispersion and diminished
runoffs (Petosa et al. 2017).
Nanopesticides could be delivered in the form of emulsions like gel or creams and liquids. NPC products available
in the market include Karate ZEON and ‘Gutbuster’, which
Fig. 2 Variety of data generated
by nanosensors
36
A. Kumar et al.