Nanoparticle tools to improve and advance precision practices in the agrifoods sector towards sustainability: A review

• Main Authors: Lang, Claudia, Mission, Elaine Gabutin, Fuaad, Abdullah Al-Hadi Ahmad, Shaalan, Mohamed
• Format: Article
• Published: Elsevier 2021
• Subjects: Q Science (General); QD Chemistry; T Technology (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/26585/
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Common agricultural pest and pathogen management practices are reliant on agrochemicals (pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers), drugs and synthetic materials that can lead to contamination of water, soil and food products. Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals has a cost in the form of lost crops, poor food quality and harmful impacts on the environment. The advent of nanomaterial engineering has led to the development of novel `nano' tools (<1000 nm) with the potential to support sustainable smart agriculture and precision farming practices. Nanoencapsulation, using designed nanoparticles, has offered the opportunity to detect pathogens and deliver nutrients, drugs and agrochemicals in a controlled and targeted manner to improve food production. Future environmentally friendly and food-safe nano particle-based technology will be dependent on developing materials that are sustainable and demonstrate efficiency in field conditions. In this review, we provide an overview of the types of engineered and natural nanoparticles, as well as their application in sustainable and precision agriculture. We then assess the safety and efficacy profiles of prospective synthetic and biological nanoparticles. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd.