Recent Trends in Nano-Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture under Climate Change for Global Food Security

Abstract

Nano-fertilizers (NFs) significantly improve soil quality and plant growth performance and enhance crop production with quality fruits/grains. The management of macro-micronutrients is a big task globally, as it relies predominantly on synthetic chemical fertilizers which may not be environmentally friendly for human beings and may be expensive for farmers. NFs may enhance nutrient uptake and plant production by regulating the availability of fertilizers in the rhizosphere; extend stress resistance by improving nutritional capacity; and increase plant defense mechanisms. They may also substitute for synthetic fertilizers for sustainable agriculture, being found more suitable for stimulation of plant development. They are associated with mitigating environmental stresses and enhancing tolerance abilities under adverse atmospheric eco-variables. Recent trends in NFs explored relevant agri-technology to fill the gaps and assure long-term beneficial agriculture strategies to safeguard food security globally. Accordingly, nanoparticles are emerging as a cutting-edge agri-technology for agri-improvement in the near future. Interestingly, they do confer stress resistance capabilities to crop plants. The effective and appropriate mechanisms are revealed in this article to update researchers widely.

Nanofertilizer Possibilities for Healthy Soil, Water, and Food in Future: An Overview

“…Therefore, NFs could be a better approach for nutrient absorption by the roots. Various edaphic parameters regulate the range of mineral elements in the soil and may also change microbial colonies and rhizospheric microbial biomass to enhance soil fertility (Huiyuan et al, 2018 ; Wang et al, 2021 ), water availability, and plant growth (Mandal and Lalrinchhani, 2021 ; Rajput et al, 2021a ; Verma et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Nanoparticles may get mobilized through apoplastic and symplastic means after entering plants. The apoplastic pathway promotes radial distribution, which moves NPs toward the root's core cylinder and vascular organs and also upward toward aerial portions (Larue et al, 2012 ; Zhao et al, 2017 ; Adisa et al, 2019 ; Verma et al, 2022 ). The apoplastic pathway is essential for NPs delivery throughout the body, while the Casparian strip inhibits NPs from moving radially in the endodermis of roots, which may be avoided by converting the apoplastic to the symplastic path being a better ordered and regulated way for NPs to travel through the plant body (Palocci et al, 2017 ; Zhang et al, 2018 ; Mandal and Lalrinchhani, 2021 ).…”

“…The ever-increasing population and limited cultivable agricultural regions have resulted in new farming agro-technologies to sustain agricultural production and protection worldwide (Rodrigues et al, 2017 ; Adisa et al, 2019 ; Rajput et al, 2021a ; Verma et al, 2022 ), as present global human population 7.6 billion may reach 8.6, 9.8 billion by 2030 and 2050, respectively, also projected approximately 11.2 billion by the end of 21st century with serious consequences on world food demand (United Nations, 2017 ). Growth in affluence and low and middle developed nations is anticipated to expedite a dietary shift away from cereals toward meat, fruits, and vegetables (FAO, 2017 ; Adisa et al, 2019 ; Fellet et al, 2021 ) to produce more food under limited resources (King, 2017 ; El-Saadony et al, 2021 ; Rajput et al, 2021a ) with loss in larger quantity in developing nations during manufacturing and supply chains due to the unavailability of infrastructure, equipment, and technologies (Kah et al, 2019 ; Wu and Li, 2022 ).…”

“…Fertilizer consumption increased globally in recent decades with soil nutrient loss (Chugh et al, 2021 ) due to its cumulative addition to enhance crop productivity (Savci, 2012 ; Sun et al, 2015 ; Lin et al, 2019 ; Verma et al, 2022 ), with loss in soil health and rising environmental issues (Hasler et al, 2015 ; Li et al, 2018 ). Nanoparticles (NPs) may natural or bioengineered with 1–100 nm diameter significantly differ in physical and chemical properties (Rajput et al, 2021b ; Verma et al, 2022 ), available as commercial nanofertilizers (NFs) around the globe, namely, nitrogen (IFFCO Nano Urea, IFFCO, India), phosphorus (TAG Nano Phos, SK Organic Farms, India), potassium (NanoMax Potash, JU Agri Sciences, India), zinc (Geolife Nano Zn, GeolifeAgritech India Ltd., India, SilvertechKimya Sanayi veTicaret Ltd., Turkey, and AFME Trading Group, UK), calcium (Nano Calcium Chelate Fertilizer, AFME Trading Group, UK, Nubiotek®Ultra Ca, Bioteksa, Mexico, Fertile Calcium 25, HPL Agronegocios, Brazil and Lithical, Litho Plant, Brazil), iron, magnesium (Nubiotek®HyperFe+Mg, Bioteksa, Mexico), magnesium, molybdenum, zinc (Nanovec TSS 80, Laboratories, Bio-Medicin, Brazil), silicon (Nano Land Baltic, Lithuania), potassium and phosphorus (Fosvit K30, Kimitec Group, Spain), boran (Nano Bor20%, Alert Biotech, India), and silver (Nano-Ag Answer®, Urth Agriculture, USA) (Dimkpa and Bindraban, 2017 ; Rajput et al, 2021 ; Kalwani et al, 2022 ). NPs facilitate beneficial functions for the nitrogen cycle, enhancing enzyme activities and stimulating soil plant-friendly microbes.…”

Nanobionics in Crop Production: An Emerging Approach to Modulate Plant Functionalities

“…In a recent study, it was shown that ZnO NPs with the combination of salicylic acid improved the activities of CAT, POX, and SOD in rice under As stress condition [ 73 ]. Based on the cellular importance of Zn, the Zn-based nano-fertilizer could enhanced the effectiveness of micronutrients applied in agriculture [ 74 ].…”