Plant Pest Control by Green Nanotechnology

Annually, 20 to 40% of crop production worldwide is lost due to various pests and diseases. Currently, green nanotechnology has been identified as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to control pests in crops. Nanotechnology involves various nanomaterials and nanoformulations that can reduce the use of pesticides, reduce environmental pollution and protect crops from pest attack efficiently. The approach generally employs nanoparticles of pesticides to increase their delivery, stability, and precise release of active mixtures, leading to a lesser degree of injury to beneficial living beings, enhances soil health, and increases agricultural sustainability. The current chapter highlights the important role of nanotechnology in controlling pests and diseases in the modern era of a changing climate. This chapter also discusses the probable uptake and transportation mechanisms of nanobiopesticides within plants and evaluates their possible environmental fortune and impact as well as the challenges and risks associated with the use of nanoprobesticides for sustainability of crop production.