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Nanotech innovations in Agriculture: Enhancing plant growth and Navigating microbial interactions

  • Publication | 2026
Global Food and Nutrition Security

Highlights:

  • Nanotechnology boosts farm efficiency, sustainability, and crop resilience.
  • Nano-carriers enable targeted delivery, saving resources and reducing waste.
  • Safety concerns of nanoparticles must be addressed for secure farm use.
  • Effects on soil microbes need study to safeguard soil and ecosystem health.
  • Green synthesis and LCA cut risks, ensuring safer nanoparticle applications.

Abstract:

The integration of nanotechnology into agriculture presents a transformative approach to enhancing productivity and sustainability. Nanoparticles (NPs), including nano-plant growth promoters, nanopesticides, nanofertilisers, nano-herbicides, and agrochemical-encapsulated nanocarrier systems, offer precise and efficient solutions for improving crop yields, pathogen resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, targeted weed and pest control, and soil bioremediation. These advancements contribute to reduced resource consumption and minimal environmental waste through controlled delivery mechanisms. However, the increasing application of NPs in agriculture raises significant concerns regarding their environmental footprint, synthesis methods, long-term fate, and potential adverse effects on plant-associated microorganisms vital for soil fertility and plant health. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive evaluation of NPs interactions within agroecosystems through long-term experimentation, including Life Cycle Assessment and the development of environmentally friendly green synthesis methods. This review highlights the need for standardised testing methods to ensure nanotechnology is used safely and effectively in sustainable farming, balancing innovation with ecological responsibility.

Resources
More information and links
Authors
Anshika Gupta, Baljeet Singh Saharan
Publisher
Elsevier
Geographic coverageGlobal
Available from

06 Mar 2026

Knowledge service | MetadataGlobal Food and Nutrition Security | Research and Innovation | Pest and diseaseSustainable
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET)plant breedingnanotechnologyAgricultureenvironmental impactCrop yield
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