Nano-enzymes and nanomics have emerged as promising tools for sustainable agriculture, offering novel solutions to enhance crop productivity, protect the environment, and promote food security. This chapter discusses the applications of nano-enzymes and nanomics in agriculture, including crop protection, improving soil fertility, precision farming, and post-harvest management. It also gives an overview of their current state and future prospects. The chapter also discusses the drawbacks and restrictions of various technologies, such as toxicity and safety risks, cost-effectiveness and scaling issues, and regulatory obstacles. Strong instruments for sustainable agriculture could be developed by integrating nanotechnology with other cutting-edge fields like biotechnology and the internet of things (IoT).
Top1. Introduction
Nanotechnology has emerged as a revolutionary field that has the potential to transform various sectors, including agriculture. In the field of nanotechnology, nano-enzymes and nanomics have garnered considerable interest. Nano-enzymes are synthetic enzymes that imitate the catalytic functions of natural enzymes while offering distinct features such exceptional stability, cost-effectiveness, and simple handling (Wang et al., 2018; Rajput et al., 2021). Nanomaterials like metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and graphene are commonly used to produce these enzymes (Huang et al., 2019). Nanomics is the utilization of nanotechnology in the omics discipline, encompassing genomes, proteomics, and metabolomics (Prasad et al., 2017). Nanomics utilizes nanomaterials and nanodevices to investigate and control biological systems at the molecular scale (Chaudhary et al., 2021; Singh et al., 2024a).
Agriculture serves as essential for ensuring food security and sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people globally. The growing global population, climate change, and environmental degradation are major obstacles to the sustainability of agricultural systems (FAO, 2021; Singh et al., 2023). Sustainable agriculture strives to fulfil present and future food and fiber requirements while reducing adverse effects on the environment and guaranteeing the enduring sustainability of agricultural methods (Velten et al., 2015). Sustainable agriculture includes practices including conservation tillage, integrated pest management, precision farming, and the use of bio-based inputs (Khoshnevisan et al., 2021). Implementing sustainable agriculture practices is essential for meeting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) (United Nations, 2021).
Nanotechnology has great potential to help solve the agricultural sector's difficulties and encourage sustainable practices. Nanomaterials and nanodevices have diverse uses in agriculture such as crop protection, soil fertility improvement, precision farming, and post-harvest management (Fraceto et al., 2018; Singh et al., 2022; Shahi et al., 2024). Nanotechnology can enhance input efficiency, decrease environmental impact, and improve crop yields and quality (Chhipa, 2019; Singh et al., 2023; Singh et al., 2024). Nano-fertilizers can transport nutrients directly to plants, reducing nutrient wastage and enhancing soil quality (Dimkpa & Bindraban, 2018). Nano-pesticides can provide regulated release and precise delivery of active components, leading to decreased pesticide usage and minimizing negative environmental effects (Kah et al., 2018; Singh et al., 2023c). Nanotechnology can facilitate the creation of nano-biosensors for monitoring crop health, soil conditions, and environmental factors in real-time, which can help improve precision agriculture methods (Prasad et al., 2017).