Opinion: Hybrid nanoparticle systems – Two-way delivery approach for agriculture

Nanometric carriers have great potential for promoting agrochemical target delivery and dose reduction while transforming agriculture into a more sustainable environment. Many nanoplatforms, such as metal, polymeric, clay, and carbon-based, are developed differently. However, new possibilities of a mixture between nanomaterials are explored by scientists called hybrid nanoparticles. The information about these nanosystems was focused on development and characterization, target and non-target effects, and uptake of nanoparticles applied to reach root or foliar pathways in plants. In this scenario, a lack of application possibilities exists and can be explored more in the future. Hybrid nanoparticles can be developed as smart carrier to deliver nanoparticles and agrochemicals in a two-way approach for uptake by root and foliar routes simultaneously in plants. The advance of nanocarrier strategies depends on the design of nanoparticles considering nanomaterial and agrochemical characteristics and target plants. The main gaps and recent reports are discussed here. Furthermore, platforms have been suggested to enable two-way delivery for agricultural applications in more sustainable farming systems

Use of botanical insecticides for sustainable agriculture : future perspectives

Recent decades have witnessed major growth in the use of agrochemicals worldwide, – for maximizing the food production for a rapidly growing human population. However, the indiscriminate use of these substances especially the pesticides has led to the accumulation of toxic residues in food, soil, air, and water, as well as the development of resistance in pests. Moreover, pesticides affect soil enzymes, which are essential catalysts that govern soil quality. In order to meet the food security, it is necessary to produce more food, sustainably and safely, in a diminishing area of available arable land and with decreased water resources. Given this situation, there is an increased interest in the use of alternative substances to synthetic agrochemicals that present less risk to the environment and human health while increasing the food safety. Promising results have been obtained using compounds derived from aromatic plants for the control of agricultural pests. Such compounds of botanical origin can be highly effective, with multiple mechanisms of action, while at the same time having low toxicity towards nontarget organisms. However, the large-scale application of these substances for pest control is limited by their poor stability and other technological issues. In this backdrop, the present work discusses perspectives for the use of compounds of botanical origin, as well as strategies employing the encapsulation techniques that can contribute to the development of systems for use in sustainable agricultural practices105483495FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP2014/20273-4; 2014/20286-9; 2015/15617-

Encapsulated plant growth regulators and associative microorganisms: Nature-based solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change on plants

International audienceOver the past decades, the atmospheric CO2 concentration and global average temperature have been increasing, and this trend is projected to soon become more severe. This scenario of climate change intensifies abiotic stress factors (such as drought, flooding, salinity, and ultraviolet radiation) that threaten forest and associated ecosystems as well as crop production. These factors can negatively affect plant growth and development with a consequent reduction in plant biomass accumulation and yield, in addition to increasing plant susceptibility to biotic stresses. Recently, biostimulants have become a hotspot as an effective and sustainable alternative to alleviate the negative effects of stresses on plants. However, the majority of biostimulants have poor stability under environmental conditions, which leads to premature degradation, shortening their biological activity. To solve these bottlenecks, micro- and nano-based formulations containing biostimulant molecules and/or microorganisms are gaining attention, as they demonstrate several advantages over their conventional formulations. In this review, we focus on the encapsulation of plant growth regulators and plant associative microorganisms as a strategy to boost their application for plant protection against abiotic stresses. We also address the potential limitations and challenges faced for the implementation of this technology, as well as possibilities regarding future research

Основные характеристики наноразмерных систем доставки, предназначенных для применения в сельском хозяйстве

Due to the excessive use of chemical agents in agriculture, numerous problems have arisen, such as contamination of the environment, intoxication of non-target organisms and the development of resistance mechanisms by pests. To overcome these challenges, several sustainable technological approaches are being explored, and nanotechnology is one of them. This review aims to provide insights into the use of nanotechnology related to the agricultural sector. Articles were selected using the Web of Science and Science Direct databases; more than 50 manuscripts between 2015 and 2019 were reviewed. This review includes systems based on nanotechnology, in particular, for the sustained release of active ingredients for pest control, nutrition and plant growth. Nanoparticle-based formulations have great potential to increase agricultural productivity and reduce health and environmental impacts. However, there are certain technological challenges that must be addressed to allow the adoption of this technology for wider use in agri-food productionЧрезмерное использование химических веществ в сельском хозяйстве привело к возникновению множества проблем, в частности загрязнению окружающей среды, токсическому воздействию на организмы, не являющихся мишенями, а также к развитию механизмов устойчивости у вредителей. Для преодоления этих вызовов изучается ряд устойчивых технологических подходов, одним из которых выступает нанотехнология. Данный обзор призван дать представление об использовании нанотехнологий применительно к сельскохозяйственному сектору. Статьи отбирали с помощью баз данных Web of Science и Science Direct; было проанализировано более 50 рукописей за период с 2015 по 2019 год. Обзор описывает нанотехнологические системы, в частности, для замедленного высвобождения активных ингредиентов для борьбы с вредителями, для питания и роста растений. Препараты на основе наночастиц имеют большой потенциал для повышения продуктивности сельского хозяйства и снижения воздействия на здоровье и окружающую среду. Тем не менее остаются определенные технологические проблемы, которые должны быть решены для более широкого использования этих технологий в производстве продуктов питани