Nanofertilizers: A new Era in sustainable agriculture

Nanotechnology has significantly enhanced agricultural and food production processes. It has emerged as a catalyst for advancing molecular and cellular biology disciplines. Nanotechnology has also expanded its scope in plant nutrition and developed nanoparticle-based fertilizers. Contemporary agricultural practices have significantly degraded fertile soil by overusing traditional fertilizers, resulting in the depletion of essential nutrients and causing irreparable harm to the delicate balance of the surrounding ecosystem. The overuse of such fertilizers leaves residues on agricultural products, pollutes the environment, destabilizes agricultural ecosystems, and lowers soil quality. Large amounts of nutrients are lost from the soil before plants can utilize them. Nanofertilizers, on the other hand, use nanoparticles to regulate nutrient delivery, making them more efficient and economical than conventional fertilizers. Nanofertilizers are a new type of fertilizer that uses advanced nanotechnology to deliver effective, sustainable crop nutrition. Nanofertilizers, designed to precisely deliver plant nutrients, enable regulated, gradual release to ensure plants receive a constant supply of essential elements. This paper provides a brief overview of nanofertilizers compared with conventional fertilizers and discusses their potential for agricultural sustainability. • Conventional agricultural practices have significantly deteriorated the fertile soil by overuse of traditional fertilizers. • Nanofertilizers enhance nutrient use efficiency through controlled and gradual release of nutrients. • Nanofertilizers show prospects of offering both economic and environmental benefits to growers.