Nanotechnology and its Importance in Micronutrient Fertilization

The increase in population and reduction of available land and water resources are major concern for agriculture to meet food requirement. The possible growth in agriculture can be achieved by increasing productivity through soil, water and nutrient management supported by an effective use of modern technology like nanotechnology. The small size, high specific surface area and reactivity of nano fertilizers compared to bulk fertilizers may increase the solubility, diffusion and availability of nutrients to plants and enhance crop productivity. Nanotechnology has provided the feasibility of exploring nanostructured materials as fertilizer carrier or controlled-release vectors for building of the so-called smart fertilizers, as new facilities to enhance the nutrient use efficiency and reduce the environmental pollution. Micronutrients like iron, zinc, copper and manganese have become yield-limiting factors and are partly responsible for poor food nutritional quality. Once added to soils, they react rapidly to form chemical precipitates, interact with clay colloids and organo-mineral matrix of soils. In high rainfall areas, they are significantly lost due to leaching. Thus, micronutrient use efficiency (MUE) is less than 5%. Micronutrient nanofertilizers may enhance the availability of these micronutrients to plants and increase the crop productivity. Since development and application of nanofertilizers are still at initial stages, there are few studies available on the effects and advantages of applying micronutrient nanofertilizers under field conditions. Any breakthrough on new crop-production stimulating mechanisms along with providing nutrients would be a milestone not only in nanotechnology research, but also in ushering another new “Green Revolution”.