Designing nanoparticles for sustainable agricultural applications

Progress toward achieving global food security continues to be hindered by several economic, geo-political, and environmental variables which has led the United Nations to place emphasis on achieving Zero Hunger by 2030. Thus, it is important to invest in novel, eco-friendly, and cost-effective solutions that will increase agricultural productivity. For this reason, nanoscale materials are increasingly being developed for use in agriculture with attention on controlling various properties such as size, shape, surface modifications, and transformations for improved impact in plants. With continued interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts among nanoparticle experts and plant scientists, the research area will evolve to identify the best nanoparticle properties for foliar application to plants.