Nanotechnology has potential applications in precision agriculture by improving nutrient delivery and use efficiency. Nanofertilizers can increase solubility and bioavailability of nutrients through encapsulation, coatings, or by being nanoparticles. This allows for controlled or sustained release matching plant needs. Nanopesticides and nanosensors also aim to precisely target weeds or pathogens. However, further research is still needed to fully characterize nanomaterials and ensure their safe use in agricultural systems.

1. Prof. P. K. Mani
pabitramani@gmail.com
Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,
Mohanpur, West Bengal, India
Nanotechnology for Precision Farming

2. There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom
Richard Feynman
Cal Tech, 1959
“People tell me about miniaturization, and how far it has
progressed today. They tell me about electric motors that are
the size of the nail on your small finger. And there is a device
on the market, they tell me, by which you can write the
Lord's Prayer on the head of a pin. But that's nothing; that's
the most primitive, halting step in the direction I intend to
discuss. It is a staggeringly small world that is below.
In the year 2000, when they look back at this age, they will
wonder why it was not until the year 1960 that anybody
began seriously to move in this direction.
Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the
Encyclopedia Brittanica on the head of a pin?”
This goal requires patterning at the 10 nanometer scale.
Historical milestones

4. The Interesting Length Scale

5. Types of nanomaterials
• Nanomaterials can…
• occur naturally
• be produced by human
activity either as a product
of another activity
• on purpose (engineered)
• Our focus: engineered
nanomaterials as these are
designed and integrated into
products because of the specific
characteristics of the nanomaterial
References:
https://nanohub.org/groups/gng/training_material
s (Introduction to Nanomaterials and
Occupational Health)
Images:
http://www.everychina.com/m-rubber-nano-zinc-oxide
http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/76747818.png
http://www.nanodic.com/carbon/Fullerene/1_resize.jpg
http://www.carbonallotropes.com/39-122-
thickbox/single-wall-carbon-nanotubes.jpg
http://www.icbpharma.pl/techno_slow.html

6. According to Royal Society, "Nanotechnologies are the
design, characterization, production and application of
structures, devices and systems by controlling shape and
size at nanometer scale"

7. Fig 3. Top-down and bottom-up techniques for the
production of nanocapsules. (Nano encapsulation )
In general, the pdn of
nanoparticles can be
performed by both the
“top-down” and the
“bottom-up”
techniques, and
nanocapsules are
not an exception.
 For the former
approach, the
nanonization is
achieved by the
application of energy,
while for the latter;
 the aggregation of
molecules,
monomers, ions, or
even atoms is
controlled physico-
chemically to form
the nanocapsule.

8. Surface Areas at the Nanoscale
http://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/special
1 mm cubes1 cm cubes 1 nm cubes

11. Potential applications of nanotechnology in agriculture.
(A) Increase the productivity using nanopesticides and nanofertilizers;
(B) Improve the quality of the soil using nanozeolites and hydrogels;
(C) Stimulate plant growth using nanomaterials (SiO2, TiO2, and Carbon Nanotubes, CNT);
(D) Provide smart monitoring using nanosensors by wireless communication devices.

12. A schematic representation of
different aspects of
nanotechnology in agriculture is
shown in Fig. 4.
Detection of agrochemicals e.g. DDT,
Endosulfun and chloropyrofos from H20
Aspects of
Nanotechnology
in Precision
Agriculture
Nanosensors to monitor soil heath and
conditions
Slow release of agrochemicals e.g.
acetamprid and hexaconazole
Plant disease management e.g. nanosillver,
nano alumino silicate and TiO2 NPs
Enhancement of self life of agro products by
nanocoating e.g. AgNPs
Growth regulators e.g. Silver nanoparticles
Zeolites for soil water retentions
Nutrient/water delivery systems via selective
localization
Quality enhancement of agri-products e.g. zinc
spray

13. 6 types of
nanostructured
materials as
nutrient Carriers:
1. Nanoclays,
2. Hydroxyapatite
nanoparticles,
3. Mesoporous
silica,
4. Carbon-based
nanomaterials,
5. Polymeric
nanoparticles,
and
6.Other
nanomaterials
Core criteria to evaluate their potential for practical agricultural applications

14. SDS, ranging from treatments with agrochemicals to delivery of
nucleic acids for genetic transformation
Boopathi et al. (2011)

15. These “nano-fertilizers” have high surface area, sorption
capacity, and controlled-release kinetics to targeted sites
attributing them as smart delivery system.

16. Smart Delivery System
“Smart delivery system” means combination of specifically
targeted, highly controlled, remotely regulated, and
multifunctional characteristic to avoid biological barriers
for successful targeting (Nair et al. 2010)

19. Nanofertilizers
Poor use efficiency of current fertilizers is a major issue. For instance, in China, the
world’s largest consumer of nitrogen fertilizer, up to 50% of the nitrogen applied is lost
by volatilization and another 5–10% by leaching. Loss of fertilizers has severe
environmental consequences such as eutrophication.
Nanotechnology is applied in the sector of plant nutrition with the aim of increasing the
use efficiency of current fertilizers, either by improving the delivery of poorly
bioavailable elements (e.g. phosphorus, zinc) and/or by limiting losses of mobile
nutrients to the surrounding environment ( nitrate).
Depending on the role of the nanomaterials, and the nutrients in use,
nanofertilizers can be separated into three different categories:
(1) Nanomaterials made of macronutrients,
(2) Nanomaterials made of micronutrients, and
(3) Nanomaterials acting as carriers for macronutrients.
Some researchers refer to the first two categories only as nanofertilizers, and the third
category(3) is ‘nutrient-loaded nanofertilizers’ or ‘nanomaterial-enhanced
fertilizers’.
Recent examples for category 1, 2 and 3 nanofertilizers are
hydroxyapatite,
layered double hydroxides intercalated with phosphate ions
nano chitosan-NPK fertilizers. and
ZnO nanoparticles, respectively.

21. Nanofertilizer refers to a product that delivers
nutrients to crops in one of three ways:
1. The nutrient can be encapsulated inside Nano-materials
such as nanotubes or nanoporous materials,
2. coated with a thin protective polymer film,
3. delivered as particles or emulsions of nanoscale
dimensions.
Slow, targeted, efficient release becomes possible.
In some cases, the nano particles itself can be used
NANOFERTILIZERS ?

22. Properties Examples of Nanofertilizers-Enabled Technologies Conventional Technology
Solubility and
dispersion for
mineral
micronutrients
Nanosized formulation of mineral micronutrients may
improve solubility and dispersion of insoluble
nutrients in soil; reduce soil absorption and fixation
and increase the bio-availability.
Less bioavailalbility to
plants due to large
particle size and less
solubility.
Nutrient uptake
efficiency
Nanostructured formulation might increase fertilizer
efficiency and uptake ratio of the soil nutrients in
crop production; and save fertilizer resource.
Bulk composite is not
available for roots resource
and decrease efficiency
Controlled
release modes
Both release rate and release pattern of nutrients for
water-soluble fertilizers might be precisely controlled
through encapsulation in envelope forms of semi-
permeable membranes coated by resin-polymer;
waxes and sulphur.
Excess release of
fertilizers may produce
toxicity and destroy
ecological balance of soil
Effective
duration of
nutrient release
Nano-structured formulation can extend effective
duration of nutrient supply of fertilizers into soil.
Used by the plants at the
time of delivery, the rest is
converted into insoluble
salts in the soil.
Loss rate of
fertilizer
nutrients
Nanostructured formulation can reduce loss rate of
fertilizer nutrients into soil by leaching and/or leaking.
High loss rate by
leaching, runoff and drift.
Comparison of Nanotechnology based formulations and conventional fertilizer application

23. Method of application of Nano fertilizer
The formulation of any nano-fertilizer should be in such a way that
they possess all
desired properties such as
 high solubility, stability, effectiveness, time-controlled release ,
enhanced targeted activity with effective concentration, and
less eco-toxicity with safe, easy mode of delivery and disposal.
Nanoparticles have great potential to deliver nutrients to specific

24. Nano materials
have potential
contributions
in slow release
of fertilizers
Nanoparticles
hold the
material more
strongly from
the plant due
to higher
surface tension
of
nanoparticles
than
conventional
surfaces.
Moreover,
nanocoatings
provide surface
A schematic representation of delivery of pesticides /fungicides/nutrients
from nanocoating is shown in this figure

25. Nano porous
zeolites

29. Novel Slow-Release Nanocomposite Nitrogen Fertilizers: The Impact of Polymers on
Nanocomposite Properties and Function

32. Conceptual release of ZNO2 NPS”
Under nutrient limitation, crops can secrete certain compounds into
rhizosphere to enable biotic mineralization of N or P from SOM and
P-associated with soil organic colloids.
•These root
exudates can be
considered as
environmental
signals that can
be recognised by
nanobiosensor
and release of
nutrient occurs
that synchronise
with the plant’s
need.

33. Smart delivery of nano encapsulated herbicide in the crop-weed
environment. Nanoparticles targetting specific receptor of weed
Nano technology in Weed Management
Developing a target specific herbicide molecule encapsulated with
nanoparticle is aimed at specific receptor in the roots of target
weeds, which enter into root system and translocated to parts that inhibit
glycolysis of food reserve in the root system. This will make the specific
weed plant to starve for food and gets died.

34. Nano-pesticides: Solution or threat for a cleaner and greener agriculture?

35. It is self perpetuating biological entity that is able to survive in harsh environment on its own.
Nanotechnology can be used to harness the full potential of seed. Seed production is a
tedious process especially in wind pollinated crops. Detecting pollen load that will cause
contamination is a sure method to ensure genetic purity. Pollen flight is determined by air
temperature, humidity, wind velocity and pollen production of the crop. Use of bio
nanosensors specific to contaminating pollen can help alert the possible contamination and
thus reduces contamination.
The same method can also be used to prevent pollen from Genetically modified crop from
contaminating field crops. Novel genes are being incorporated into /seeds and sold in the
market. Tracking of sold seeds could be done with the help of nano barcodes (Pena et al.,
2001) that are encodable, machine-readable, durable and sub-micron sized taggants.
Disease spread through seeds and many times stored seeds are killed by pathogens. Nano-
coating of seeds using elemental forms of Zn, Mn, Pa, Pt, Au, Ag will not only protect seeds
but used in far less quantities than done today. Seeds can also be imbibed with nano
encapsulations with specific bacterial strain termed as Smart Seed.
Khodakovskaya et al. (2009) have reported the use of carbon nanotube for improving the
germination of tomato seeds through better permeation of moisture. Their data show that
carbon nanotubes (CNTs) serve as new pores for water permeation by penetration of seed
coat and act as a passage to channelize the water from the substrate into the seeds. These
processes facilitate germination which can be exploited in rainfed agricultural system.
Application of nanotechnology in seed science

36. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were found to penetrate tomato seeds and
affect their germination and growth rates. Analytical methods indicated
that the CNTs are able to penetrate the thick seed coat and support water
uptake inside seeds, a process which can affect seed germination and
growth of tomato seedlings
Carbon Nanotubes Are Super Fertilizer

38. Characterisation of Nano Fetilizer

39. Fig. 1: Key drivers for applying nanotechnology to improve
the efficacy of agrochemicals. Associated socio-economic and
environmental considerations that still need to be addressed

40. Do You Love Nano, Too?
http://www.nisenet.org/catalog