Polymeric Nanocomposite-Based Agriculture Delivery System: Emerging Technology for Agriculture

Abstract

The increasing global population has forced the agricultural area to enhance the yield of crop, thereby fulfilling the requirements of people. The advancement has led to synthesis of nanomaterials with different size, shapes, and biocompatibility aspects towards specific applications like agriculture. Several nanomaterials such as metal, metal oxide, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon nanofibers (CNFs), graphene, and its derivatives have shown potential ability for augmenting the yield of crops and protect crops against pathogens. However, these nanomaterials required smart delivery system that might easily deliver the nanofertilizers in a controlled manner. In this context, the incorporation of nanotechnology and polymer science might be developing newer technology with minimal usage and maximum effectiveness for improvement of crops. The incorporation of nanomaterials in polymeric composites offers newer approaches for agricultural delivery system that might provide various advantages such as higher stability, solubility, uniform distribution, and controlled release. Moreover, nanomaterials have potential ability for advancement in the genetic engineering. Herein, we discuss the role of nanomaterials in the growth of the plant, polymeric nanocomposite materials for agriculture delivery system with the advancement in the genetic engineering, and future prospects of these polymeric-nanocomposite materials in agriculture.

Polymer Based Engineered Materials for Sustainable Agriculture

“…They are also able to overcome the limitations which are associated with metal based nanomaterials including toxicity, inseparability, and reduced translocation ability. 135 Additionally, polymeric nanomaterials often have high efficiency along with an environmentally friendly and biodegradable nature depending upon the selection of the building blocks. 136 On the hand, polymer based porous electrospun fibers display extremely high surface-to-volume ratios, thus making them suitable candidates for loading desired multiple agrochemicals which can be released in a particular sequence depending upon the degradability of the different components used for preparing the electrospun fibers.…”

“…Polymer based nanomaterials have been very attractive for agricultural applications as they provide the possibility of tuning the release of loaded agrochemicals, which helps in catering to the demand for plant nutrition and managing pests effectively. They are also able to overcome the limitations which are associated with metal based nanomaterials including toxicity, inseparability, and reduced translocation ability . Additionally, polymeric nanomaterials often have high efficiency along with an environmentally friendly and biodegradable nature depending upon the selection of the building blocks .…”

Nanohybrid Antifungals for Control of Plant Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspectives

“…Nanocomposite materials include multi-phase components. These materials may be comprised of components with variable phase domains with atleast one continuous phase while another having nano-scale dimensions [ 23 ]. These hybrid nanomaterials can be generated through co-synthesis/impregnation of diverse inorganic and organic components [ 24 ].…”

“…These features make polymers widely used as a delivery agent in medicine and agrochemicals [ 45 , 46 ]. Polymers such as cellulose acetate phthalate, gelatin, chitosan, gum Arabic, polylactic acid, poly-butadiene, poly-lactic-glycolic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyacrylamide, and polystyrene are widely used as delivery agents for drugs and agrochemicals [ 13 , 23 ].…”

The strategic applications of natural polymer nanocomposites in food packaging and agriculture: Chances, challenges, and consumers’ perception

“…The basis of this technology is nanomaterials that are in the range of 1–100 nm ( Rai et al, 2021a ). Natural polymers also known as biopolymers are abundantly available in nature, and are biodegradable and thus eco-friendly ( Ashfaq et al, 2019 ; Karimi Sani et al, 2023 ). These include but are not limited to starch, cellulose, chitosan, and alginate resulting from plants, animals or microbes including fungi, algae, and bacteria.…”