element NPs. NP-rich filters could be installed for removal
of the organic pollutants and agrochemicals, like DDT, from
water (Karn et al. 2009).
Interestingly, use of sorbents, like biochar, has increased
in the recent past to remove inorganic and organic pollutants
from the soil and water. Nanotechnology could be synchronized with biochar application to enhance the efficacy of
both (Wang et al. 2017). NMs, like CuO, ZnO and SiO 2 ,
have been doped onto the biochar in various studies.
Biochar-based nanocomposites were reported to minimize
the pollutants inclusive of heavy metals, inorganic contaminants and organic contaminants, from contaminated soil and
water (Wang et al. 2015a; Tan et al. 2016). Removal of
contaminants could be achieved by incorporating mechanisms like physisorption, chemisorption, ion exchange, diffusion and others. Additionally, it could also be used for
enhancing the nutritional status of the soil by providing
macro- and micro-nutrients to the plants. Biochars are rich in
organic matter which could help in boosting plant growth.
Biochar could also help in enhancement of water retention
capacity of the soils in which they are applied (Liu et al.
2019). Therefore, NP-doped biochar would aid in the
remediation of contaminants and the enhancement of crop
production, simultaneously.
9 Harvesting Nanoparticles
Plants could be used as an agency for production of NPs in a
green eco-friendly manner, as shown in Fig. 5. Such NPs
could be used in a variety of industries (Mokerov et al.
2001). The plants are grown in the soils impinged with
specific NPs. These NPs are sucked up by the plants, and
later these NPs are extracted. A few of the NPs synthesized
include Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and Pt (Quintanar-Guerrero et al.
1998; Xu et al. 2015). Plants like Sesbania and Medicago
sativa have been used to generate gold NPs. Similarly,
Helianthus annuus and Brassica juncea were utilized for
producing an extensive range of NPs including Ag, Ni, Co,
Zn and Cu (Iravani 2011). However, the biosynthesis routes
are still in their initial stages with prevalent issues of NP
stability, size distribution and extraction (Perlatti et al. 2013;
Giongo et al. 2016; Wani and Kothari 2018).
Nanomaterials, like nanocellulose, could be produced
cheaply from wastes like wheat straw, soy hulls, potato pulp
or sugar beet pulp, as shown in Fig. 5 (Sankar et al. 2016).
Nanocellulose are bio-based NMs with large surface area,
great strength and exceptional optical properties (Anastas
and Eghbali 2010; Wanyika et al. 2012). Nanocellulose
could be used for a wide variety of uses as nanocomposites
(Shen 2017). Rice husks are rich in silica and could be used
for production of silica NPs (Muramatsu et al. 2014). Graphene oxide NPs could be produced from agricultural waste
materials (Somanathan et al. 2015). In a nut shell, various
agro-related waste materials could be used for producing the
NMs (Bruce et al. 2005; Baker et al. 2017).
Interestingly, microorganisms could be used for synthesis
of the NMs, as shown in Fig. 5. The microorganisms are
inclusive of Pseudomonas stutzeri, Klebsiella aerogenes and
Clostridium thermoaceticum. They have been used for
synthesizing NMs like Au, Si, ZnS and CdS (Park et al.
2016). Fungi, like Verticillium, Aspergillus and Fusarium
oxysporum, have been reported to be efficient producers of
NPs (Kitching et al. 2015). The synthesized NPs could
include metal or metal sulphide NPs such as Au and
ZnS NPs.
10 Adapting to Climate Change
The weather patterns have been changing across the globe.
There has been a rise in the prevailing atmospheric temperatures; drastic alterations in rainfall patterns; and frequent
occurrences of extreme weather events and hazards. These
cumulatively affect agriculture in a negative manner. For
example, crops may face drought periods, excessive rainfall
phases and extremes of temperature, which detrimentally
affects crop production (Anwar et al. 2007). Hazards have
the potential to destroy the standing crops and damage the
soil health in the longer run. Problems of water shortage
could arise. Therefore, it becomes very critical to look for
technologies that enhance the adaptability to the existential
threats of climate change (Vermeulen et al. 2012). Increasing
the adaptation potential in crops requires managing genetic
expression during stress, hormonal and enzymatic alterations
and decreasing the plant life without compromising with the
yield. Technologies have been developed to reduce the
adverse impact of climate change on the crop production
(Pretty 2008). Nanotechnology could play a humongous role
in helping the plants tackle climate change, as given in
Fig. 4.
Nanomaterials could increase crop production in adverse
environmental conditions. Nano-SiO 2 was stated to boost
seed germination and plant growth in Lycopersicon esculentum and Cucurbita maxima, when grown under salt stress
(Haghighi et al. 2012; Siddiqui and Al-Whaibi 2014).
Activated carbon-based TiO 2 was employed in appropriate
concentrations and was reported to decrease germination
time and boost germination of seed in tomato and mung
bean (Singh et al. 2016). FeSO 4 NPs were demonstrated to
uplift the salinity tolerance in Helianthus annuus apart from
increasing the quality and quantity of plants by enhancing
the photosynthetic efficiency, leaf area and CO 2 assimilation
(Torabian et al. 2017). Silicon NPs have been reported to
reduce the stress caused by UV-B in Triticum aestivum
(Tripathi et al. 2017). Zeolite NMs boost nutrient facilitation
40
A. Kumar et al.
of the organic pollutants and agrochemicals, like DDT, from
water (Karn et al. 2009).
Interestingly, use of sorbents, like biochar, has increased
in the recent past to remove inorganic and organic pollutants
from the soil and water. Nanotechnology could be synchronized with biochar application to enhance the efficacy of
both (Wang et al. 2017). NMs, like CuO, ZnO and SiO 2 ,
have been doped onto the biochar in various studies.
Biochar-based nanocomposites were reported to minimize
the pollutants inclusive of heavy metals, inorganic contaminants and organic contaminants, from contaminated soil and
water (Wang et al. 2015a; Tan et al. 2016). Removal of
contaminants could be achieved by incorporating mechanisms like physisorption, chemisorption, ion exchange, diffusion and others. Additionally, it could also be used for
enhancing the nutritional status of the soil by providing
macro- and micro-nutrients to the plants. Biochars are rich in
organic matter which could help in boosting plant growth.
Biochar could also help in enhancement of water retention
capacity of the soils in which they are applied (Liu et al.
2019). Therefore, NP-doped biochar would aid in the
remediation of contaminants and the enhancement of crop
production, simultaneously.
9 Harvesting Nanoparticles
Plants could be used as an agency for production of NPs in a
green eco-friendly manner, as shown in Fig. 5. Such NPs
could be used in a variety of industries (Mokerov et al.
2001). The plants are grown in the soils impinged with
specific NPs. These NPs are sucked up by the plants, and
later these NPs are extracted. A few of the NPs synthesized
include Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and Pt (Quintanar-Guerrero et al.
1998; Xu et al. 2015). Plants like Sesbania and Medicago
sativa have been used to generate gold NPs. Similarly,
Helianthus annuus and Brassica juncea were utilized for
producing an extensive range of NPs including Ag, Ni, Co,
Zn and Cu (Iravani 2011). However, the biosynthesis routes
are still in their initial stages with prevalent issues of NP
stability, size distribution and extraction (Perlatti et al. 2013;
Giongo et al. 2016; Wani and Kothari 2018).
Nanomaterials, like nanocellulose, could be produced
cheaply from wastes like wheat straw, soy hulls, potato pulp
or sugar beet pulp, as shown in Fig. 5 (Sankar et al. 2016).
Nanocellulose are bio-based NMs with large surface area,
great strength and exceptional optical properties (Anastas
and Eghbali 2010; Wanyika et al. 2012). Nanocellulose
could be used for a wide variety of uses as nanocomposites
(Shen 2017). Rice husks are rich in silica and could be used
for production of silica NPs (Muramatsu et al. 2014). Graphene oxide NPs could be produced from agricultural waste
materials (Somanathan et al. 2015). In a nut shell, various
agro-related waste materials could be used for producing the
NMs (Bruce et al. 2005; Baker et al. 2017).
Interestingly, microorganisms could be used for synthesis
of the NMs, as shown in Fig. 5. The microorganisms are
inclusive of Pseudomonas stutzeri, Klebsiella aerogenes and
Clostridium thermoaceticum. They have been used for
synthesizing NMs like Au, Si, ZnS and CdS (Park et al.
2016). Fungi, like Verticillium, Aspergillus and Fusarium
oxysporum, have been reported to be efficient producers of
NPs (Kitching et al. 2015). The synthesized NPs could
include metal or metal sulphide NPs such as Au and
ZnS NPs.
10 Adapting to Climate Change
The weather patterns have been changing across the globe.
There has been a rise in the prevailing atmospheric temperatures; drastic alterations in rainfall patterns; and frequent
occurrences of extreme weather events and hazards. These
cumulatively affect agriculture in a negative manner. For
example, crops may face drought periods, excessive rainfall
phases and extremes of temperature, which detrimentally
affects crop production (Anwar et al. 2007). Hazards have
the potential to destroy the standing crops and damage the
soil health in the longer run. Problems of water shortage
could arise. Therefore, it becomes very critical to look for
technologies that enhance the adaptability to the existential
threats of climate change (Vermeulen et al. 2012). Increasing
the adaptation potential in crops requires managing genetic
expression during stress, hormonal and enzymatic alterations
and decreasing the plant life without compromising with the
yield. Technologies have been developed to reduce the
adverse impact of climate change on the crop production
(Pretty 2008). Nanotechnology could play a humongous role
in helping the plants tackle climate change, as given in
Fig. 4.
Nanomaterials could increase crop production in adverse
environmental conditions. Nano-SiO 2 was stated to boost
seed germination and plant growth in Lycopersicon esculentum and Cucurbita maxima, when grown under salt stress
(Haghighi et al. 2012; Siddiqui and Al-Whaibi 2014).
Activated carbon-based TiO 2 was employed in appropriate
concentrations and was reported to decrease germination
time and boost germination of seed in tomato and mung
bean (Singh et al. 2016). FeSO 4 NPs were demonstrated to
uplift the salinity tolerance in Helianthus annuus apart from
increasing the quality and quantity of plants by enhancing
the photosynthetic efficiency, leaf area and CO 2 assimilation
(Torabian et al. 2017). Silicon NPs have been reported to
reduce the stress caused by UV-B in Triticum aestivum
(Tripathi et al. 2017). Zeolite NMs boost nutrient facilitation
40
A. Kumar et al.