Applications of nanotechnology in Agriculture

Abstract

Nanotechnology is expected to open new way by making a very significant impact on the world’s economy, industry and people’s lives. With the increased globalization of agricultural and food industry, there is a necessity of a developed and innovative tool to restructure the agricultural and food industry through diagnosis and treatment of diseases, enhancing the ability of plants to absorb nutrients and resist microbial and pest infectionsusing the aspects of nanotechnology . Nanoforms of carbon, silver, silica and alumino-silicates are used for controlling plant diseases for example silver is now accepted as an agrochemical replacement that helps in controlling pathogenic micro organisms in the soil. Nanotechnology has provided a solution for protecting the food and agriculture from bacteria, fungi and viral agents. For early detection of plant diseases Nanosensors are used. They are emerging as a promising tool in the agricultural field due to their selectivity, speed and sensitivity. One of the easiest way to remove or eliminate weed is to destroy their seed banks in soil and prevent them from generating when weather and soil conditions become favorable for their growth, The way to such diagnosis is by usage of nanoherbicides. Nanoparticles as pesticides are also very effective in disease management by delivering chemicals into plant tissues for their protection. Improved quality of the soil, increased productivity, stimulation of plant growth and the use of precise farming are just some of the many benefits of nanotechnology, which they have offered to agricultural industry.

Keywords: Nanotechnology, Agriculture, Plant Disease Management, Nanosensors, Nanoherbicides, Nanopesticides.