Guest Edited Collection: Nanotechnology in agriculture

Abstract

Guest edited collection: nanotechnology in agriculture Alejandro pérez-de-Luque Agriculture must overcome several challenges in order to increase-or even maintain-production, while also reducing negative environmental impact. nanotechnology, fundamentally through the development of smart delivery systems and nanocarriers, can contribute to engineering more efficient and less contaminant agrochemicals. This Collection presents recent related works, covering nanodevices that improve crop protection against pests and diseases, nanoformulations for enhancing plant nutrition, and nanomaterials strengthening the general crop performance.

Selenium Nanocomposites in Natural Matrices as Potato Recovery Agent

“…Nanotechnologies have been actively introduced into various fields including agriculture [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. However, despite their great potential benefit, nanocomposite (NC) materials were relatively rarely used in phytopathology, although the situation is improving, as it can be also proved by publications in this special issue.…”

Nanobiosensors and nanoformulations in agriculture: new advances and challenges for sustainable agriculture

“…As alternative solutions to the conventional agrochemicals, some NPs have the ability to stimulate the natural defences of plants, possess inherent microbiological activity or incorporate new substances and products with highly specific action or natural origin [ 30 , 57 ]. NFs offer an excellent alternative for safe and highly efficient delivery of biomolecules such as microRNA, CRISPR–Cas, and RNA interference (RNAi) for plant protection [ 36 ].…”

Are nanomaterials leading to more efficient agriculture? Outputs from 2009 to 2022 research metadata analysis

“…On the other hand, to facilitate real-world agricultural applications, this barrier must be overcome by organizing controlled field trials, because those are equivalent to clinical trials in medicine for practical applications. 56 Growth chambers offer controlled temperature, air moisture, light, and water irrigation, while greenhouses usually grant controlled temperature and irrigation. Most of the experiments carried out either in growth chambers or greenhouse are performed in pots or trays.…”

“…On the other hand, to facilitate real-world agricultural applications, this barrier must be overcome by organizing controlled field trials, because those are equivalent to clinical trials in medicine for practical applications. 56…”