PERSPECTIVE

published: 22 March 2016

doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2016.00020

Nanotechnology in Agriculture:
Which Innovation Potential Does It
Have?
Leonardo F. Fraceto 1*, Renato Grillo 2 , Gerson A. de Medeiros 1 , Viviana Scognamiglio 3 ,
Giuseppina Rea 3 and Cecilia Bartolucci 3, 4
1
Department of Environmental Engineering, So Paulo State University, Sorocaba, Brazil, 2 Center of Natural and Human
Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andr, Brazil, 3 Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Rome,
Italy, 4 Science and Technology Foresight, National Research Council, Rome, Italy

Recent scientific data indicate that nanotechnology has the potential to positively impact
the agrifood sector, minimizing adverse problems of agricultural practices on environment
and human health, improving food security and productivity (as required by the predicted
rise in global population), while promoting social and economic equity. In this context, we
select and report on recent trends in nanomaterial-based systems and nanodevices that
could provide benefits on the food supply chain specifically on sustainable intensification,
and management of soil and waste. Among others, nanomaterials for controlled-release
of nutrients, pesticides and fertilizers in crops are described as well as nanosensors for
Edited by:
Md Ahmaruzzaman, agricultural practices, food quality and safety.
National Institute of Technology
Keywords: nanotechnology, nanodelivery systems, nanosensors, sustainable agriculture
Silchar, India
Reviewed by:
Matteo Guidotti,
Institute of Molecular Science and
CURRENT AND FUTURE TRENDS
Technologies - National Research
Council, Italy
Recently, a wide range of potential applications of nanotechnology has been envisaged also in
Alexei Lapkin, agriculture, leading to intense research at both academic and industrial levels (Chen and Yada, 2011;
University of Cambridge, UK Dasgupta et al., 2015; Parisi et al., 2015). Indeed, the unique properties of materials at nanoscale
*Correspondence: make them suitable candidates for the design and development of novel tools in support of a
Leonardo F. Fraceto sustainable agriculture. Some of the main applications of these nanotools in agriculture are reported
[email protected] in the following paragraphs, and schematically drawn in Figure 1.

Specialty section: Systems for Sustainable Intensification in Agriculture

This article was submitted to Sustainable intensification is a concept related to a production system aiming to increase
Green and Environmental Chemistry, the yield without adverse environmental impact while cultivating the same agricultural area
a section of the journal (The Royal Society, 2009). This paradigm provides a framework to evaluate the selection of
Frontiers in Environmental Science
the best combination of approaches to agricultural production considering the influence of the
Received: 22 January 2016 current biophysical, social, cultural, and economic situation (Garnett and Godfray, 2012). In this
Accepted: 07 March 2016 context, novel nanomaterials based on the use of inorganic, polymeric, and lipid nanoparticles,
Published: 22 March 2016
synthesized by exploiting different techniques (e.g., emulsification, ionic gelation, polymerization,
Citation: oxydoreduction, etc) have been developed to increase productivity (Figure 1A).
Fraceto LF, Grillo R, de Medeiros GA, They can find application, as an example, for the development of intelligent nanosystems for the
Scognamiglio V, Rea G and
immobilization of nutrients and their release in soil. Such systems have the advantage to minimize
Bartolucci C (2016) Nanotechnology
in Agriculture: Which Innovation
leaching, while improving the uptake of nutrients by plants, and to mitigate eutrophication
Potential Does It Have? by reducing the transfer of nitrogen to groundwater (Liu and Lal, 2015). Furthermore, it
Front. Environ. Sci. 4:20. is noteworthy to mention that nanomaterials could also be exploited to improve structure
doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2016.00020 and function of pesticides by increasing solubility, enhancing resistance against hydrolysis

Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org 1 March 2016 | Volume 4 | Article 20

Fraceto et al. Applications of Nanotechnology in Agriculture

FIGURE 1 | Potential applications of nanotechnology in agriculture. (A) Increase the productivity using nanopesticides and nanofertilizers; (B) Improve the
quality of the soil using nanozeolites and hydrogels; (C) Stimulate plant growth using nanomaterials (SiO2 , TiO2 , and carbon nanotubes); (D) Provide smart monitoring
using nanosensors by wireless communication devices.

and photodecomposition, and/or by providing a more specific 2015). The development of new protocols and the use of different
and controlled-release toward target organisms (Mishra and analytical techniques (such as microscopy, magnetic resonance
Singh, 2015; Grillo et al., 2016; Nuruzzaman et al., 2016). imaging, and fluorescence spectroscopy) could considerably
contribute to understand the interactions between plants and
Systems to Improve the Quality of the Soil nanomaterials.
Hydrogels, nanoclays, and nanozeolites have been reported to
enhance the water-holding capacity of soil (Sekhon, 2014), hence
acting as a slow release source of water, reducing the hydric Nano-d for the Management of the Food
shortage periods during crop season (Figure 1B). Applications Supply Chain
of such systems are favorable for both agricultural purposes and Nanotechnology can find applications also in the development of
reforestation of degraded areas. Organic e.g., such as polymer analytical devices dedicated to the control of quality, bio/security,
and carbon nanotubes and inorganic e.g., such as nano metals and safety not only in agriculture, but also along the food supply
and metal oxides nanomaterials have also been used to absorb chain (Valdes et al., 2009). In this context, nanosensors represent
environmental contaminants (Khin et al., 2012), increasing a powerful tool with advanced and improved features, compared
soil remediation capacity and reducing times and costs of the to existing analytical sensors and biosensors. Nanosensors
treatments. are defined as analytical devices having at least one sensing
dimension no greater than 100 nm, fabricated for monitoring
Nanomaterials as Agents to Stimulate physico-chemical properties in places otherwise difficult to
Plant Growth reach. Nanotubes, nanowires, nanoparticles, or nanocrystals are
Carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles of Au, SiO2 , ZnO, and often used to optimize the signal transduction deriving by
TiO2 can contribute to ameliorate development of plants sensing elements in response to exposure to biological and
(Figure 1C), by enhancing elemental uptake and use of nutrients chemical analytes having similar size. They have unique surface
(Khot et al., 2012). However, the real impact of nanomaterials chemistry, distinct thermal, electrical and optical properties,
on plants depends on their composition, concentration, size, useful to enhance sensitivities, reduce response times, and
surface charge, and physical chemical properties, besides the improve detection limits, and can be used in multiplexed systems
susceptibility of the plant species (Ma et al., 2010; Lambreva et al., (Aragay et al., 2010; Yao et al., 2014). Considering the huge

Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org 2 March 2016 | Volume 4 | Article 20

Fraceto et al. Applications of Nanotechnology in Agriculture

amount of research in this area, real applications of nanosensors nanosensors represent one of the emerging technologies
for field analysis are unexpectedly scarce, implying the potential challenging the assessment of food quality and safety, being able
for a new market. In this perspective, nanotechnologies could to provide smart monitoring of food components (e.g., sugars,
enhance biosensor performance to allow real applications in amino acid, alcohol, vitamins, and minerals) and contaminants
agrifood (Figure 1D). Indeed, thanks to important progresses (e.g., pesticides, heavy metals, toxins, and food additives). Food
in nanofabrication, laboratory analytical techniques, such as quality and food safety control represents a crucial effort not
surface plasmon resonance, mass spectrometry, chromatography, only to obtain a healthy food, but also to avoid huge waste
or electrophoresis chips, can support the development of viable of food products. The potential of nanosensor can also be
sensor components. However, the real need of the market demonstrated by the last trends on intelligent or smart packaging
is the realization of automated embedded systems, which to monitor the freshness properties of food, and check the
integrate biosensing components with micro/nanofluidics, data integrity of the packages during transport, storage, and display
management hardware, and remote control by wireless networks. in markets (Vanderroost et al., 2014). Many intelligent packaging
This is a key issue for nanotechnology, which can provide involve nanosensors as monitoring systems to measure physical
the decisive approaches as well as novel nanomaterials for the parameters (humidity, pH, temperature, light exposure), to
realization of biosensing devices (Scognamiglio, 2013). Indeed, reveal gas mixtures (e.g., oxygen and carbon dioxide), to detect
as described by Mousavi and Rezaei (2011) Nanosensors pathogens and toxins, or to control freshness (e.g., ethanol,
help farmers in maintaining farm with precise control and lactic acid, acetic acid) and decomposition (e.g., putrescine,
report timely needs of plants. Thus, it will be mandatory to cadaverine).
address research efforts to the development of nanosensors to
aid decision-making in crop monitoring, accurate analysis of
nutrients and pesticides in soil, or for maximizing the efficiency IDENTIFICATION OF GAPS AND
of water use for a smart agriculture. In this context, nanosensors OBSTACLES
could demonstrate their potential in managing all the phases
of the food supply chain, from crop cultivation and harvesting Despite considerable advances in identifying possible
to food processing, transportation, packaging, and distribution applications of nanotechnology in agriculture, many issues
(Scognamiglio et al., 2014). Among them, nanosensors for remain to be resolved in the near future before this technology
dynamic measurement of soil parameters (pH and nutrients, may make significant contributions to the area of agriculture.
residual pesticides in crop and soil, and soil humidity) detection Some of the main aspects that require further attention are:
of pathogens and prediction of nitrogen uptake are only few (i) development of specific hybrid carriers for delivering active
examples to foster a sustainable farming (Bellingham, 2011). agents including nutrients, pesticides and fertilizers in order
Specifically, nanosensor systems can be developed to monitor to maximize their efficiency following the principles of green
the presence of pests, pathogens or pesticides in order to chemistry and environmental sustainability (De Oliveira et al.,
better tune the amount of insecticides to be employed for crop 2014); (ii) design of processes easily upscalable at industrial level,
productivity management, since they show higher sensitivity (iii) comparison of effects of nanoformulations/nanosystems
and specificity compared to the traditional sensors. For with existing commercial products, in order to demonstrate
example, controlled release mechanisms via nanoscale carriers real practical advantages; (iv) acquisition of knowledge and
monitored by nanosensors integrated in platforms employing developments of methods for risk and life-cycle assessment
wireless signals, will avoid overdose of agricultural chemicals of nanomaterials, nanopesticides, nanofertilizers, as well as
and minimize inputs of fertilizers and pesticides during the assessment of the impacts (e.g., phytotoxic effects) on non-target
course of cultivations, improving productivity, and reducing organisms e.g., other plants, soil microbiota, and bees; (v)
waste. Networks of nanosensors located throughout cultivated advances in the regulations about the use of nanomaterials
fields will assure a real time and comprehensive monitoring of (Amenta et al., 2015). In this context, the progress made in the
the crop growth, furnishing effective high quality data for best exploitation of nanopesticides (such as atrazine) represents a
management practices (El Beyrouthya and El Azzi, 2014). useful case study to identify the main parameters necessary to
The automation of irrigation systems is also a crucial predict the behavior of nanomaterials in the environment (Grillo
requirement of smart agriculture, mainly in a scenario of water et al., 2012). In the study of the atrazine-nanopesticide system
shortage. In this regard, sensor technology has the potential to care was taken to understand the mechanisms of interaction
maximize the efficiency of water use. Nanosensors estimating with both target, mustard (Oliveira et al., 2015a), and non-target
soil water tension in real-time may be coupled with autonomous organisms, maize (Oliveira et al., 2015b), and risk-assessment
irrigation controllers. This feature allows a sustainable irrigation analyses were also considered (Kah et al., 2014). However,
management based on drying soil, otherwise an approach too future case studies are necessary in order to address the safety
difficult for farmers because it involves evaluation of climate and of workers and consumers with respect to food produced using
crop growth aspects of high complexity (de Medeiros et al., 2001). nanomaterials and nanoparticles (Figure 2).
Furthermore, nanosensors find also application in fast, The implementation of nanotechnology in agriculture
sensitive, and cost-effective detection of different targets requires also the development of techniques capable of
to ensure food quality, safety, freshness, authenticity, and quantifying engineered nanoparticles at the concentrations
traceability along the entire food supply chain. Surely, present in different environmental compartments (Sadik et al.,

Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org 3 March 2016 | Volume 4 | Article 20

Fraceto et al. Applications of Nanotechnology in Agriculture

FIGURE 2 | Timescale for developments in atrazine nanopesticide.

2014). Currently available methods are not always adequate to reuse of waste, while nanosensors technology can encourage the
understand the dynamics of nanomaterials in the environment, diffusion of precision agriculture, for an efficient management of
their interactions with target and non-target organisms, or resources, including energy (FAO and WHO, 2013).
the occurrence of synergistic effects. These methodological However, as with the application of all new technologies, there
advances allow a life cycle assessment of the new developed is the need to perform a reliable risk-benefit assessment, as well as
nanomaterials (Kookana et al., 2014; Parisi et al., 2015). Besides, a full cost accounting evaluation. In the case of nanotechnologies,
studies on methodologies able to assess possible arise of this requires also the development of reliable methods for
resistance mechanisms to nanomaterials by target organisms the characterization and quantification of nanomaterials in
should be undertaken. As a whole, the newly developed different matrices and for the evaluation of their impact on
analytical methodologies would support predictive models to the environment (Servin and White, 2016) as well as on
characterize, localize, and quantify engineered nanomaterials human health (EFSA Scientific Committee, 2011). Furthermore,
in the environments. In this context, knowledge exchange it is very important to engage all stakeholders, including non-
among scientists from different research fields would be essential governmental and consumer associations, in an open dialogue
(Malysheva et al., 2015). to acquire consumer acceptance and public support for this
technology.
CONCLUSIONS
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
In conclusion, considering the great challenges we will be
facing, in particular due to a growing global population and All the authors participated in the drafting the manuscript and
climate change, the application of nanotechnologies as well as discussion of all topics related to this perspective manuscript.
the introduction of nanomaterials in agriculture, potentially can
greatly contribute to address the issue of sustainability. In fact, the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
efficient use of fertilizers and pesticides can be enhanced by the
use of nanoscale carriers and compounds, reducing the amount The authors would like to thank So Paulo Science Foundation
to be applied without impairing productivity. Nanotechnologies (#2013-12322-2 and 2015/26189-8), CNPq and CAPES. Also
can also have an impact on the reduction of waste, both we would like to thanks Prof. H.B. Singh (Banaras Hindu
contributing to a more efficient production as well as to the UniversityIndia) for his critics to this paper.

REFERENCES Bellingham, B. K. (2011). Proximal soil sensing. Vadose Zone J. 10, 13421342. doi:
10.2136/vzj2011.0105br
Amenta, V., Aschberger, K., Arena, M., Bouwmeester, H., Moniz, F. B., Brandhoff, Chen, H. D., and Yada, R. (2011). Nanotechnologies in agriculture: new tools
P., et al. (2015). Regulatory aspects of nanotechnology in the agri/feed/food for sustainable development. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 22, 585594. doi:
sector in EU and non-EU countries. Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 73, 463476. 10.1016/j.tifs.2011.09.004
doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2015.06.016 Dasgupta, N., Ranjan, S., Mundekkad, D., Ramalingam, C., Shanker, R., and
Aragay, G., Pons, J., Ros, J., and Merkoci, A. (2010). Aminopyrazole-based ligand Kumar, A. (2015). Nanotechnology in agro-food: from field to plate. Food Res.
induces gold nanoparticle formation and remains available for heavy metal ions Int. 69, 381400. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2015.01.005
sensing. A simple mix and detect approach. Langmuir 26, 1016510170. doi: de Medeiros, G. A., Arruda, F. B., Sakai, E., and Fujiwara, M. (2001). The
10.1021/la100288s influence of crop canopy on evapotranspiration and crop coefficient of beans

Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org 4 March 2016 | Volume 4 | Article 20

Fraceto et al. Applications of Nanotechnology in Agriculture

(Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Agric. Water Manage. 49, 211224. doi: 10.1016/S0378- Mishra, S., and Singh, H. B. (2015). Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles as a
3774(00)00150-5 nanoweapon against phytopathogens: exploring their scope and potential in
De Oliveira, J. L., Campos, E. V. R., Bakshi, M., Abhilash, P. C., and Fraceto, agriculture. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 99, 10971107 doi: 10.1007/s00253-
L. F. (2014). Application of nanotechnology for the encapsulation 014-6296-0
of botanical insecticides for sustainable agriculture: prospects and Mousavi, S. R., and Rezaei, M. (2011). Nanotechnology in agriculture and food
promises. Biotechnol. Adv. 32, 15501561. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2014. production. J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci. 1, 414419.
10.010 Nuruzzaman, M., Rahman, M. M., Liu, Y., and Naidu, R. (2016).
EFSA Scientific Committee, (2011). Scientific Opinion on Guidance on the Nanoencapsulation, nano-guard for pesticides: a new window for safe
risk assessment of the application of nanoscience and nanotechnologies application. J. Agric. Food Chem. 64, 14471483. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.
in the food and feed chain. EFSA J. 9:2140. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2011. 5b05214
2140 Oliveira, H. C., Stolf-Moreira, R., Martinez, C. B. R., Grillo, R., De Jesus, M. B.,
El Beyrouthya, M., and El Azzi, D. (2014). Nanotechnologies: novel solutions and Fraceto, L. F. (2015a). Nanoencapsulation enhances the post-emergence
for sustainable agriculture. Adv. Crop Sci. Technol. 2:e118. doi: 10.4172/2329- herbicidal activity of atrazine against mustard plants. PLoS ONE 10:e0132971.
8863.1000e118 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132971
FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and WHO, World Oliveira, H. C., Stolf-Moreira, R., Martinez, C. B. R., Sousa, G. F. M., Grillo, R.,
Health Organization, (2013). State of the Art on the Initiatives and Activities De Jesus, M. B., et al. (2015b). Evaluation of the side effects of poly(epsilon-
Relevant to Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Nanotechnologies caprolactone) nanocapsules containing atrazine toward maize plants. Front.
in the Food and Agriculture Sectors. Technical Paper, FAO and Chem. 3:61. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2015.00061
WHO, Rome. Parisi, C., Vigani, M., and Rodriguez-Cerezo, E. (2015). Agricultural
Garnett, T., and Godfray, C. (2012). Sustainable Intensification in Agriculture. nanotechnologies: what are the current possibilities? Nano Today 10, 124127.
Navigating a Course Through Competing Food System Priorities, Food Climate doi: 10.1016/j.nantod.2014.09.009
Research Network and the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food. The Royal Society (2009). Reaping the Benefits: Science and the
University of Oxford, UK Sustainable Intensification of Global Agriculture, London: The Royal
Grillo, R., Abhilash, P. C., and Fraceto, L. F. (2016). Nanotechnology applied to Society.
bio-encapsulation of pesticides. J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 16, 12311234. doi: Sadik, O. A., Du, N., Kariuki, V., Okello, V., and Bushlyar, V. (2014). Current and
10.1166/jnn.2016.12332 emerging technologies for the characterization of nanomaterials. ACS Sustain.
Grillo, R., Dos Santos, N. Z. P., Maruyama, C. R., Rosa, A. H., De Lima, R., and Chem. Eng. 2, 17071716. doi: 10.1021/sc500175v
Fraceto, L. F., et al. (2012). Poly(epsilon-caprolactone)nanocapsules as carrier Scognamiglio, V. (2013). Nanotechnology in glucose monitoring: advances
systems for herbicides: physico-chemical characterization and genotoxicity and challenges in the last 10 years. Biosens. Bioelectron. 47, 1225. doi:
evaluation. J. Hazard. Mater. 231, 19. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012. 10.1016/j.bios.2013.02.043
06.019 Scognamiglio, V., Arduini, F., Palleschi, G., and Rea, G. (2014). Biosensing
Kah, M., Machinski, P., Koerner, P., Tiede, K., Grillo, R., Fraceto, L. F., et al. technology for sustainable food safety. Trac-Trends Anal. Chem. 62, 110. doi:
(2014). Analysing the fate of nanopesticides in soil and the applicability 10.1016/j.trac.2014.07.007
of regulatory protocols using a polymer-based nanoformulation of atrazine. Sekhon, B. S. (2014). Nanotechnology in agri-food production: an
Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 21, 1169911707. doi: 10.1007/s11356-014- overview. Nanotechnol. Sci. Appl. 7, 3153. doi: 10.2147/NSA.
2523-6 S39406
Khin, M. M., Nair, A. S., Babu, V. J., Murugan, R., and Ramakrishna, S. (2012). A Servin, A. D., and White, J. C. (2016). Nanotechnology in agriculture: next steps
review on nanomaterials for environmental remediation. Energy Environ. Sci. for understanding engineered nanoparticle exposure and risk. NanoImpact 1,
5, 80758109. doi: 10.1039/c2ee21818f 912. doi: 10.1016/j.impact.2015.12.002
Khot, L. R., Sankaran, S., Maja, J. M., Ehsani, R., and Schuster, E. W. Valdes, M. G., Gonzalez, A. C. V., Calzon, J. A. G., and Diaz-Garcia, M. E. (2009).
(2012). Applications of nanomaterials in agricultural production and crop Analytical nanotechnology for food analysis. Microchimica Acta 166, 119. doi:
protection: a review. Crop Prot. 35, 6470. doi: 10.1016/j.cropro.2012. 10.1007/s00604-009-0165-z
01.007 Vanderroost, M., Ragaert, P., Devlieghere, F., and De Meulenaer, B. (2014).
Kookana, R. S., Boxall, A. B., Reeves, P. T., Ashauer, R., Beulke, S., Chaudhry, Intelligent food packaging: the next generation. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 39,
Q., et al. (2014). Nanopesticides: guiding principles for regulatory evaluation 4762. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2014.06.009
of environmental risks. J. Agric. Food Chem. 62, 42274240. doi: 10.1021/jf50 Yao, J., Yang, M., and Duan, Y. X. (2014). Chemistry, biology, and medicine of
0232f fluorescent nanomaterials and related systems: new insights into biosensing,
Lambreva, M. D., Lavecchia, T., Tyystjrvi, E., Antal, T. K., Orlanducci, bioimaging, genomics, diagnostics, and therapy. Chem. Rev. 114, 61306178.
S., Margonelli, A., et al. (2015). Potential of carbon nanotubes in doi: 10.1021/cr200359p
algal biotechnology. Photosyn. Res. 125, 451471. doi: 10.1007/s11120-015-
0168-z Conflict of Interest Statement: The authors declare that the research was
Liu, R. Q., and Lal, R. (2015). Potentials of engineered nanoparticles as fertilizers conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could
for increasing agronomic productions. Sci. Total Environ. 514, 131139. doi: be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.01.104
Ma, X., Geiser-Lee, J., Deng, Y., and Kolmakov, A. (2010). Interactions Copyright 2016 Fraceto, Grillo, de Medeiros, Scognamiglio, Rea and Bartolucci.
between engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) and plants: phytotoxicity, This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
uptake and accumulation. Sci. Total Environ. 408, 30533061. doi: Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.03.031 is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the
Malysheva, A., Lombi, E., and Voelcker, N. H. (2015). Bridging the divide between original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic
human and environmental nanotoxicology. Nat. Nanotechnol. 10, 835844. doi: practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply
10.1038/nnano.2015.224 with these terms.

Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org 5 March 2016 | Volume 4 | Article 20