Enhancing Nutrient Use Efficiency through Nano Technological Interventions

Abstract

Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural systems by nanostructure formulation of fertilisers which has mechanisms of targeted delivery or controlled release and conditional release, or could release their active ingredients in responding to environmental triggers and biological demand more precisely. Nano-fertilisers are the nano-particles-based fertilisers, where supply of the nutrients is made precisely for maximum plant growth after stimulating the plant capability, have higher use efficiency, exploiting plant unavailable nutrients in the rhizosphere, and can be delivered on real time basis into the rhizosphere or can be made available to plant by foliar spray. Studies have shown that the use of nanofertiliser causes an increase in nutrients use efficiency, reduces the doses of application dramatically and the frequency of the application along with the cost of the fertiliser. Hence, nanotechnology has a great potential for achieving sustainable agriculture, especially in the developing countries.