Effect of Nanocomposites on Sustainable Growth of Crop Plants and Productivity

Abstract

The growing population has placed tremendous pressure on the agriculture sector for food production. To meet this demand, the current agricultural practices rely heavily on agrochemical inputs to sustain the growing requirement for agricultural products. The injudicious application of agrochemicals has led to a gradual deterioration of the soil causing acidification and fertility, contamination of groundwater, eutrophication, greenhouse gas emissions, and risks to human health. Many of these agrochemicals are not utilized by the plants partly because of their larger size and surface area, which leads to accumulation in the field. In this regard, nanotechnology-based agrochemicals, especially nanocomposite (NC) materials, have emerged as an attractive tool due to their enhanced physiochemical properties that are vital for sustainable agriculture. NCs are formed by combining a matrix with a nanofiller where at least one material dimension is in the nanoscopic range (1-100 nm). These materials exhibit reactivity, mechanical, thermal, and other properties over neat polymers or conventional composites. They are used in agriculture as NC-based fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and sensor materials. Their unique characteristic lies in their capacity to regulate the release of agrochemicals to coincide with the spatial and temporal demand of crops. This enhances nutrient use efficiency, seed germination, photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, and grain yield, while having a low detrimental impact on the environment. They also improve soil water retention and oxygen content, enrich microbial diversity in the rhizosphere, and protect crops against diseases by disrupting fungal hyphal structures and suppressing sporangial germination. Some studies have reported potential negative effects of NCs and phytotoxicity risk beyond a certain level, necessitating further investigation. Other challenges include their widespread adoption at present due to high costs and unknown consequences. Nevertheless, there is an ever-growing interest among the scientific community to develop an ideal composite that is both economically and environmentally sustainable. This chapter explores recent advancements in NCs, their positive and adverse effects, challenges, and promising aspects for sustainable growth and production of crops. © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.