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Nanomaterials monitor leading agricultural and environmental controlling activities especially due to its minuscule dimension. Additionally, several potential applications including a reduction in the accumulation of agricultural waste and green synthesis of nanoparticle using biological agents allow nanotechnology tools to substantially revolutionize the world. Agrowastes are ecofriendly to synthesize the typical nanostructures with precise chemical composition, morphology and size. The use of agricultural waste not only minimizes the synthesis cost but also reduces the hazardous chemicals from the environment and thus stimulates the green synthesis. Biosynthesis of various nanomaterials from agrowastes and microbes including fungi, viruses, bacteria and microalgae are being progressively explored to accomplish pollution mitigation and resource recycling objectives. This chapter highlights the synthesis mechanism of nanomaterials from microbes and agricultural wastes and their potential applications in various fields.

Environment contamination because of heavy metals is not only restricted to the aquatic ecosystem, even soil is also increasingly getting contaminated. In consideration with toxic metals sources for soil contamination; the most significant anthropogenic sources include effluents from industrial activities and sewage from domestic and industrial sources. In recent days several strategies are being opted to control soil contamination include physical, chemical, microbial, and phytoremediation. Heavy metals that contaminate soil include lead, arsenic, mercury, and chromium. To overcome this, recently researchers have developed advanced and efficient nanobubble technology, which means small bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, that is, in the nanoscale. Several methods have been optimized for the generation of nanobubbles such as cavitation, hydrodynamic, acoustic, sonication, and agitation methods. This nanobubble technology has made great breakthroughs and its small size makes nanobubbles have different physicochemical and fluid dynamic properties than ordinary macrobubbles. The presence of oxygen content in nanobubbles makes them more efficient for use in several applications related to sterilization, oxidation, and to improve the soil quality. Several properties such as the presence of large area, high concentration, and the higher stability with a hydrophobic nature make nanobubbles efficient and strong in the remediation process. Apart from that these nanobubbles can easily adsorb and aggregate the dispersed particles, making the remediation process stable and effective.

Soil organic compounds are one of the major indicators for soil fertility. Decreased content of soil organic compounds usually implies a decline in soil quality. Therefore detection and measurement of soil organic compounds is very important. In recent years, nanosensors have been getting much attention due to their use in many industrial, medical, agricultural and environmental applications. Nanosensors are nanoscale devices that work on the principle of measuring the physical quantity and converting it into detectable signals which further can be analyzed. Nanosensors applications have transformed the conventional agricultural practices in the smart agriculture system that is a more environment-friendly strategy and energy efficient approach for sustainable agriculture. Nanosensors are being synthesized in laboratory conditions with potential to monitor temperature and seasonal changes in the soil system. In the case of detection of pollutants, soil solution treated with nanosensors gives accurate results for the measurement and detection of organic pollutants. Real-time monitoring of soil through nanosensors has reduced the excessive mounts of fertilizers and pesticides being used, thus helping to avoid the product cost and ecological contamination. Development of such nanosensors continues to play a significant part in agricultural advancements. Different types of nanosensors have been developed by employing several fabrication approaches to monitor the soil condition and measurement of organic compounds.

Plants have numerous biological, clinical, pharmaceutical and medicinal purposes for many years; however, their use as a general platform for preparation of desired pharmaceutical and biomedical is relatively current. Secondary metabolites with remarkable and diverse biological functions are produced by medicinal plants. Significant advancements in nanosciences have enabled various applications in the development of new generation of drug molecules. Due to the application of toxic solvents and high energy consumption of conventional physical and chemical approaches, greener and eco-friendly methods are essential and vital. Plants can provide an outstanding alternative for the production of phytomaterials and biomaterials, and this review highlights the exogenous and endogenous syntheses of nanoparticles using living plants. Additionally, the plant nano-molecular farming of proteins including collagen, gelatin, elastin, recombinant anti-cancer monoclonal antibodies and recombinant anti-cancer vaccines, are discussed., 0, SCOPUS: re.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Rice is one of the most widely cultivated and consumed staple foods for more than half of the global population. Viruses that infect rice can lead to huge losses and thus a serious impediment to rice cultivation. Development of strategies that are efficient enough to control these viruses has become the need of the hour. The rice-infecting viruses are transmitted by insects, mainly leafhoppers and plant hoppers, which can migrate over long distances. Genetic modification can pave way for plants that are resistant to virus attacks. Out of several developed methods, RNA silencing is the most promising one. However all RNAi constructs are not equally effective in conferring virus resistance. Some results show complete resistance, whereas some constructs slow down the appearance of symptoms. There are also possibilities that the construct may even fail to confer resistance. The success can be ensured by identifying appropriate viral gene. Hence with proper protocols, transgenic rice can lead to stable production of this staple food crop.

Micronutrient enhancement via biofortification is the only tool to reduce malnutrition of rice. The nutritional value of rice, especially iron, zinc, and selenium are usually low in many consuming communities. The aromatic rice cultivars have consistently higher concentration of iron and zinc in grain than the non-aromatic types. Zinc has multiple roles in the human body including the efficient functioning of cellular metabolic activities and stimulation of the immune system. Selenium is an essential element for human health but its intake is low. Accordingly, biofortified rice with this trace element can be prophylactic to consumers. Micronutrient deficiencies, especially those raised from selenium, zinc, and iron, pose serious human health problems for more than 2 billion people worldwide.

Rice is a basic staple food of most countries including developed and less developed nations, and more importantly, 90% of population relies on rice across South Asian countries. Global climate change, increased urbanization, drought, and desertification have resulted in the significant drop in the rice production and also prompted researchers to develop novel varieties with increased productivity. Hence, novel varieties with enriched nutritional composition may offer wide benefits and could be a potential step in eradicating malnutrition among the less developed nations. According to the “International Rice Research Institute (IRRI),” 843 varieties have been developed until now, which have been generated by using both conventional and molecular breeding techniques. Genetic markers are forerunner in the present-day agriculture production system, which has anonymously contributed in the production of novel varieties with additional accuracy, reliability, and rapidity. Thus, it has significantly contributed in precision plant breeding, and dependency on molecular techniques such as marker-assisted selection and quantitative trait loci is inevitable for enhanced crop productivity in the near future. In the present chapter, an elaborate case study involving recent developments in enhancing the nutritional quality of rice crop using marker-assisted selection and quantitative trait loci has been represented.

Herbicides are used in modern agriculture to control weeds that pose threat to agricultural crops by competing with them for light and nutrients. Continuous use of the same type of herbicide results in the evolution of weeds that are resistant to herbicides. Indiscriminate use of herbicides can also cause environmental pollution. Development of transgenic rice that is resistant to more than one herbicide is a solution to these problems. The use of herbicide-resistant variety of rice also reduces the cost for weed control. Genetic engineering involves the manipulation of an organism’s genetic material using various molecular biological techniques. Source of transgenes for herbicide resistance includes bacteria and plants. Development of transgenic rice that is herbicide-resistant will result in the development of wild rice. Genetically engineered rice that is herbicide-resistant has changed the usage pattern of herbicide worldwide. Examples for herbicide-resistant rice varieties include Clearfield, Roundup Ready, and LibertyLink. Clearfield is imidazolinone-resistant, Roundup Ready glyphosate-resistant, and LibertyLink glufosinate-resistant. Despite having so many benefits, genetically engineered herbicide-resistant rice varieties have some drawbacks. One such drawback is that genetically improved crops are also responsible for the problems associated with herbicide-resistant weeds. Another issue is related to the acceptance of genetically modified herbicide-resistant rice variety by the public. It is also not that easy to find domestic and international markets with herbicide-resistant rice varieties. Hence, proper production and marketing strategies should be adopted along with the development of herbicide-resistant rice varieties that are developed using genetic engineering.

The genetic modification of plants paved the way for new breeding strategies, including for recalcitrant crops. Rice is a staple food for more than 60% of the population worldwide. However, the accelerated growth rate of the world population calls for an enhancement in rice production and modified rice varieties that can produce improved yields and are resistant to environmental stresses. This can be achieved through production of transgenic rice that is attained by the introduction of a transgene into the plant cells using methods such as electroporation, polyethylene glycol-mediated transformation, biolistics, transformation via Agrobacterium and in planta floral-dip transformation. The presence of transgenes in the regenerated plants can be confirmed using several molecular tools. However, a real transgenic cannot be confirmed based on initial transformants under the confinements of a laboratory and a long term approach is necessary. Several factors affect the efficiency of transformation and regeneration of rice, including type of explant used, components of culture medium, gelling agents and type of Agrobacterium strains. Currently, transgenic rice production is hindered by drawbacks such as low transformation efficiency, tedious and lengthy protocols, genotype specificity, failure of transgenes to express the required protein due to silencing and generation of sterile plants. Thus, effective breeding of enhanced varieties of rice can be possible through development of improved protocols to ensure stable expression of transgenes and proper regulatory framework.

Food security is directly related to the ability of the land to support the population. Causes for land degradation are numerous and include the decline of soil fertility, development of acidity, salinization, alkalization, deterioration of soil structure, accelerated wind and water erosion, loss of organic matter and biodiversity. Thereafter, it is of critical importance to increase soil health and restore degraded soils in order to achieve sustainable development. Restoring the soil quality for crop production through the appropriate soil management and conservation techniques is important for all nations, primarily those at risk with respect to food security. Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a central role in maintaining soil functions and preventing soil degradation. Both organic matter and microorganism serve as a reservoir of plant nutrients. This study concluded that soil organic carbon and other mineral and nutrients restoration were noted with the soil modification and incorporation of various organic amendments. Plant residues and field biomass were promising for nutrients replenishment while biochar was the key component for the enrichment of soil organic carbon. Animal-based residues and manure application enhanced soil mineral and micronutrients concentration with the advantage of soil reclamation and restoration.

Gene transformation in plants through the intervention of genetic engineering has become potent tool in modern molecular breeding. From the last few decades, new developments have been made in transformation methods in plants. Besides a variety of gene delivery methods, Agrobacterium- and biolistic-mediated transformation has proved significant results. The crop productivity has increased through genetic engineering of plants by transformation of desirable genetic traits in agricultural crops under climate change and growing global population. Cell wall as a barrier to external biomolecular delivery remains as a challenge for efficient genetic transformation in plants. Thus, nanoparticles are promising materials for the delivery of biomolecules due to their efficiency to penetrate through this barrier without any external force. Hence, nanoparticles have the potential to deliver biomolecules in plants through genetic engineering. Application of pesticides and fertilizers indiscriminately poses environmental pollution and threat to biodiversity. In this scenario, nanotechnology has prospective future in agrobiotechnological applications to eradicate these problems by virtue of nanomaterials. Nanosized gold (5–25 nm) delivered DNA into plant cells, whereas iron oxide (30 nm)-based nanosensors identified pesticides at very minute levels. These significant functions will assist in the development of precision agriculture which reduces the risk of pollution and enhance the value of farming practices.

Achieving sustainable development is one of the key challenges at present and also foremost priority to attain food security for the increasing population. Enormous dependency on agrochemicals has devastated net crop yield and has caused irreparable damage to our ecosystem. A novel and environmentally benign technology that can aid in improved yield and crop protection is a need of hour. Nanobiotechnology offers possible solutions to several key constraints of agricultural production systems, which is evident from the recent research developments. Nanomaterials are often considered to be ‘smart delivery systems’ and exhibit unique and varied functions; therefore, nanoparticle-mediated plant genetic engineering, nanofertilizers, nanopesticides and nanosensors find potential applications in agricultural systems, which could substantially contribute to sustainable agriculture. However, continuous efforts are underway to understand their economic and environment feasibility for wide usage. In this chapter, novel developments and innovations in the nanobiotechnology with relevance to agricultural productivity, food security and environmental sustainability have been broadly outlined.

In this review, we discuss the relationship between environmental crop management and adaptation to warming climates of legume plants and plant breeding, for drought tolerance. The benefits connected to the impact of the expansion of appropriate legumes-based agriculture for arid zones are analyzed. We need to two aims to develop programs of breeding and management guided to drought tolerance. The first one is enhancing productivity. The second one is to improve the drought tolerance by mechanisms of water conservation.

Nature is gifted with numerous nanomaterials which could be simply prepared from plant materials. Agricultural waste (waste produced on a farm through various farming activities) includes both natural and nonnatural wastes. In the agricultural residues, refuse and wastes create a significant amount of worldwide agricultural productivity. It has variously been estimated that wastes can account for over 30% of worldwide agricultural productivity. The goal of this chapter is to assess the most recent trends to produce bionano nanomaterials from agricultural waste. Nanocellulose extraction from agricultural wastes is a promising substitute for waste treatment, and a few more wide applications of nanocellulose in biological science are much expected in the near future. The most salient nanocellulose applications in this chapter deal with the production and support matrices for enzyme immobilization, biosensors, and antimicrobial agents. Silicon nanoparticles concluded to be one of the elite compounds for the enhancement of agricultural yields.

Nanotechnology is one of the utmost significant tools in modern agriculture is predicted to become a driving cost-effective force in the near future. Nanotechnology in agriculture has gained drive in the last decade with an abundance of public funding, but the step of development is uncertain, even though many disciplines come under the agriculture system. This could be attributed to a unique nature of farm production whereby energy and matter are exchanged freely, the scale of demand of input materials constantly being enormous in contrast with industrial nanoproducts. The nanotechnologic intervention in farming has prospects for improving the efficiency of nutrient use through nanoformulations of fertilizers, surveillance and control of pests and diseases, improvement of new-generation pesticides, biosensors (which are exclusively used in remote sensing devices for precision farming), clay-based nanoresources for precision water management, and reclamation of salt-affected lands.

Nanotechnology is emerging as the key enabling technology that contributes to increased crop production with special emphasis on soil protection with environmental sustainability. Increasing worldwide food security and challenging climatic conditions are the key components for encouraging the scientific community to focus on accelerating the growth of nanoagrotechnology. Last few decades immensely contributed to the field of agriculture; technological innovations by several hybrid varieties, synthetic chemical compounds and advanced techniques of biotechnology are an integral part of this achievement. The present decade emerged as the “decade of nanoagrotechnology”, as a new origin of agricultural developments through most groundbreaking scientific finding in the field.