Engineered nanomaterial-mediated changes in the growth and development of common agricultural crops

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have found important usage in agriculture, especially in the areas of crop improvement and production, and disease control. Due to the special attributives possessed by ENMs especially their nano size and high surface reactivity, they are able to penetrate cells of plants and interact intracellularly with plant processes and metabolism. These interactions always lead to effects in plants that may be detrimental or promotional. In fact, studies have shown that ENMs can influence seed germination, alter plant physiology and metabolism and in general modify plant growth and development. In this chapter, we discussed the types of ENMs, their relevance to agriculture, and most importantly the beneficial effects of ENM application on some selected agricultural crops. Conclusively, ENMs can impact positive or negative impacts on plants’ growth and development, however, the paucity of information on the mechanisms behind the effects of ENMs calls for further studies.