Transformation of Agriculture
through BioNanotechnology
Alok Adholeya
Director,
Research And technology Development
Mycorrhizal Applications. LLC
USA
Background
 Agriculture is the backbone of most developing countries, with more than
60% of the population reliant on it for their livelihood.
 Source of Livelihood
 Contribution to National revenue
 Supply of Food as well as Fodder
 Significance to the International Trade
 Marketable Surplus
 Employment Opportunities
 Economic upliftment of farmers especially small and marginal farmers
 Improving productivity is the biggest challenge before agricultural scientists,
this is more challenging under the fluctuating climatic conditions
Nanotechnology….
• Engineered materials, structures and systems that operate at a scale of
100 nanometres or less (one nanometre is one billionth of a metre).
• A set of techniques that enable direct manipulation and reconstruction of
the world at the level of atoms and molecules.
Challenges for Scope of Intervention
of BioNanotechnology
 UN survey identified agricultural productivity enhancement as the second
most critical area of application for attaining the millennium
development goals while energy conversion and storage was ranked first
and water treatment as the third areas needing focus (SalamancaBuentello et al., 2005)
 Production of healthy, safe food
 Mitigating increasing risk of disease
 Countering threats to agricultural production from changing weather
patterns
 Establishing a successful bio economy
 Possible cost-cutting measure to prodigal farming and environmental
clean-up operations
Bionanotechnology : next wave of development and
transformation of agri-food systems

Attracting large-scale investment from global food corporations, is backed by
academic science, and has captured financial and ideological support from many
governments (Roco, 2005; Sandler and Kay, 2006).

Rapidly moving from laboratory onto farm, supermarket shelves and kitchen table.

A new range of ‘smart’ agricultural inputs and products have been and are being
developed, such as
 nano-seed varieties with in-built pesticides with triggered release
 nano-techniques allow altering nutritional composition, flavour and other
attributes of food to suit physiological requirements
 innovative food packaging able to detect the presence of pathogens.
Areas of Involvement of
BioNanotechnology
Duncan TV. Nature Nanotechnology 6, 683–688 (2011)
Applications of BioNanotechnology
Dasgupta et al., Food Research International 69 (2015) 381–400
NanoFertilizers / Nanopesticides
 A disturbing fact is that the fertilizer use efficiency is 20-50 percent for
nitrogen, and 10-25 percent for phosphorus (<1% for rock phosphate in
alkaline calcareous soils). With nano-fertilizers emerging as alternatives to
conventional fertilizers, build ups of nutrients in soils and thereby
eutrophication and drinking water contamination may be eliminated.
 All soil-clays, many chemicals derived from soil organic matter, several soil
microbes fall into this category.
 Some of the examples include clinoloptolite and other zeolite based
substrates, and Fe-, Mn-, and Cu- substituted synthetic hydroxyapatites that
have made it possible to grow crops in space stations and in Antarctica.
 New opportunities to improve nutrient use efficiency and minimize costs of
environmental protection.
Bionanotechnology in plant protection
Nanoparticles in
controlling plant
diseases





Fig. Applications of bionanotechnology in plant protection and nutrition
(Ghormade et al. / Biotechnology Advances 29 (2011) 792–803)
Nano Carbon
Nano Silver
Silicon
Nano-sized
SilicaSilver
Nano AluminoSilicate
Natural Polymers in Bionanotechnology

Natural polymers are the main materials
for controlled release of biocides and
fertilizers. Natural polymers are
preferred due to biodegradability,
availability, and low cost.

Starch, chitosan, gelatin, dextran,
albumin, lignin, chitin, cellulose, and
alginic acid can be used as natural
polymers in controlled release products.

Other biopolymers like PLA (polylactic
acid), PLGA (poly lactide-co-glycolide)
are fast gaining popularity.
Applications of Bionanotechnology in
agriculture (Research)
(Ghormade et al. / Biotechnology Advances 29 (2011) 792–803)
Recent Breakthroughs using Nanotechnology
in Agriculture (Products in Market)
Product
Application
Institution*
Nanocides
pesticides encapsulated in nanoparticles for controlled release
BASF
nanoemulsions for greater efficiency
Syngenta
Bucky ball
fertilizer
ammonia from buckyballs
Kyoto Univ, Japan
Nanoparticles
Adhesion-specific nanoparticles for removal of Campylobacter
jejuni from poultry
Clemson Univ.
Food packaging
airtight plastic packaging with silicate nanoparticles
Bayer
Use of agricultural waste
nanofibres from cotton waste for improved strength of clothing
Cornell univ
Precision
agriculture
nanosensors linked to GPS for real-time monitoring of soil
conditions and crop growth
USDA
Mukhopadhyay 2014, Nanotechnology, Science and Applications 7 : 63–71
Our Work at TERI
 Multidisciplinary research with a common vein “Nano-science” since 2011
 Core research areas include Agriculture, Bioremediation, and Bioenergy
with the bridging Computational and Functional genomics.
 Priorities for sustainable agriculture:
 Biologicals and their improvement using Nanotechnology tools
 Nanonutrient delivery in cropping systems
 Nano/Biosensors for disease forecasting
 Environmental health and industrial overburdens solutions
Biological Seed coating: Next revolutionary
step in agriculture
Breun
Symbiotic
sciences
KWS
Biological
seed
coating
Trials
SFCI
PAU
Kwizda
FABA
Bayers
 Large variety of seeds tested in field
 Technology can be applied for seed treatment, Root dipping; Irrigation
compatible
 Increase in yield was observed with reduction of fertilizer by 25 %
Global users of TERI’s Mycorrhizal Seed Coating
Mycorrhizal
seed coating
• Successful mycorrhizal seed coating trials was done on variety of crops like maize, wheat,
gram, barley, Jowar, vegetable crops etc. in India and Europe
• Increases in root biomass in all the crops
Nanomaterials for solutions in Agriculture
Fabricated Nanoparticles of 50nm size
for delivery of nutrients and
biofertilizers
Synthesized colloidal, monodisperse,
spherical and ruby red coloured Gold
Nanoparticles of size ~20 nm for soil
pathogen detection
Plant Biotic Stress Management by RNAi Approach
Issues to Address

New, robust products covering other areas not touched till now.

Cost of processing of nano encapsulated formulations needs to be low, not damage
the environment, plant and soil, and nano carrier additives should be safe to the
environment when handling and disposal

They should not have environmental impact due to degradation and additives in
response to heat, hydrolysis, oxidation, solar radiation and biological agents, and be
approved by regulatory agencies.

The size and dissolvability of nanoparticles may also mean contamination of soils,
waterways and food chains and toxins released to the environments, so these issues
need to be addressed sufficiently

Thorough studies are required to evaluate biotransformation of nanomaterials in
the environment

Regulatory framework and guidelines for use and application of bionanotechnology
Take – Away Messages

Novel applications of nanotechnology across the agri-food
system are emerging from a growing alliance between the
corporate food sector and scientific communities.

Industrial and scientific collaboration strategically place the
corporate sector to shape the research trajectory and
commercial applications of nanotechnology, and the future
of agri-food systems.
Thank You for Your Attention !