Nanotechnology and its impacts and benefits on agricultural sustainability: A review

Abstract

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the prosperity and advancement of nations. Ensuring food security is a major concern for both affluent and developing countries, but this can also lead to significant environmental impacts. Hence, in recent years nanotechnology emerges as a novel alternative system, confers sustainable agricultural and environmental growth via escalating the food security and productivity, minimizing the agricultural inputs, enhancement of absorption of nanoscopic fertilizers and growth regulators through increasing the surface area, consequently curtailing the unfavorable environmental factors. The use of nano-material in agriculture are designed to minimize the loss of the yield, nutrients and fertilizers by efficient management of nutrient, insect pests and diseases leading to improvement in environmental as well as ecosystem health. In agriculture, nanotechnology focuses on creating nano-fertilizers, nano-pesticides, and nano-based carriers for agrochemicals. It is also employed in developing bio-sensors to monitor soil, water, and air quality, thereby enhancing plant health by ensuring optimal environmental conditions. For sustainable development-the focus of the researchers now has been shifted towards the green nano-particles, where various beneficial micro-organisms are employed for the manufacturing of nano-particles in biocompatible mode. Therefore, the aim of this review is to precisely outline and address the impact and benefits in the operation of nanotechnology in sustainable development of agriculture, environment and ecosystem.