Nanotechnology Solutions for Sustainable Pest and Disease Control for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security

Abstract

Each year, a significant portion of crops, ranging from 20% to 40%, succumb to plant pests and pathogens, resulting in substantial agricultural losses. Traditional methods of managing plant diseases heavily rely on the application of toxic pesticides, posing potential hazards to both human health and the environment. Nanotechnology presents a promising avenue for addressing these challenges by offering various advantages over conventional pesticides. These include mitigating toxicity, enhancing shelf-life, and improving the solubility of pesticides that are poorly water-soluble, thereby potentially yielding positive environmental outcomes. This review delves into two primary approaches for leveraging nanoparticles in plant disease management: employing nanoparticles independently as protective agents or utilizing them as carriers, often termed as 'magic bullets,' for delivering a range of substances such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers, and RNA-interference molecules or genes directly to specific cellular organelles within plants. Nanoparticles encapsulate active compounds with high stability and biodegradability, shielding them from degradation by external factors or the host plant itself. Moreover, they minimize inadvertent dispersion into the soil, consequently reducing the need for multiple active compounds in plant treatments and thereby lowering environmental impacts. Additionally, nanoparticles can be functionalized with biomolecules like antibodies or aptamers to ensure target selectivity and specificity. Despite these benefits, there remain certain challenges associated with the use of nano devices for plant protection. Foremost among these is the insufficient research on the potential toxicity of certain nanomaterials, such as nano silver and nano gold, to plants, animals, and ecosystems. Accumulation of nanomaterials in plant and animal tissues could potentially enter the food chain, necessitating rigorous safety assessments and consumer education efforts. Nonetheless, the adoption of non-toxic materials, such as starch, chitin, or nano clays, as alternatives to metals, can mitigate such risks.