SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON APPLICATION OF NANOPARTICLES IN AGRICULTURE

Anmar A. Al-Shimary*, Marwah A. Al-Azzawi, Safa M. Abdulateef

Agriculture is the world's largest industry along with this agriculture is the economic foundation of most emerging nations. One of the most crucial conservation challenges of the twenty-first century is how and where we produce food. Agriculture must produce more food and other agricultural products in the 21st century to feed a growing population with a reduced rural labor force, as well as more feedstocks for a potentially enormous bioenergy market, contribute to the overall development of the many developing nations that depend heavily on agriculture, adopt more efficient and sustainable production techniques, and adapt to climate change. Farmers must adjust to a changing environment in addition to serving the interests of regulators, consumers, food processors, and merchants. Pressures in the agriculture sector are growing as a result of factors like climate change, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, shifting consumer food preferences, and worries about how food is produced. Additionally, the yield of crops can be increased by adding various chemicals, antibiotics, fungicides, and herbicides to agricultural soil. However, extensive use of those chemicals creates resistance to those chemicals, raising environmental concerns such as the contamination of crops and soil with antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), among other issues. Due to its numerous uses in fields including medicine, pharmaceuticals, catalysis, energy, and materials, nanotechnology has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Nowadays, a wide range of industries use nanomaterials. To solve the different issues that arise in agricultural practices, a sustainable agricultural system is required. Studies show that the use of nanomaterials in agriculture benefits the farmer by boosting crop yields, lowering water use, and generally enhancing the quality of the soil, minimizing any potential adverse consequences from an overdose. Regarding its uses, we are attempting to discuss several applications of nanotechnology in the agricultural domains in this review. This review paper provides a comprehensive overlook of the developing application of nanotechnology in the agriculture sector, covering new developments, challenges, and opportunities.