POSITIVE ASPECTS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY ON AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: APPLICATION OF NANOPARTICLES AND FIBERS FOR INCREASING AGRICULTURAL YIELD
Recently, nanotechnology is widely used in agriculture with the aim of achieving high agricultural yields. Due to the unique surface and physicochemical properties, nanomaterials can be used to deliver nutrients to plants via nanoparticles, for the synthesis of nanopesticides, nanofungicides, and to design nanosensors for the detection of very low concentrations of pesticides and other contaminants. Excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers causes the loss of soil biodiversity and the development of resistance to pathogens. Nenoencapsulation of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides is used for slow and specific dosed release of nutrients as well as agrochemicals. This paper discusses the applications of nanotechnology and their positive effect in agriculture in relation to the common methods used so far.