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Nanopesticides: Opportunities in Crop Protection and Associated Environmental Risks

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Abstract

The last decade has witnessed significant progress in nanotechnology and its application in diverse fields. This growing interest has also been intensified in agriculture sector, which is evident from the publication of interesting scientific articles and lodging of patent applications, showing the relevance of nanotechnology in sustainable crop production. Crop losses due to plant pathogens, insects and weeds are a considerable challenge that the current agricultural production system faces worldwide. This article depicts the use of nanoparticles that paves the way for developing novel crop protection products in near future. Owing to the fact that nanoparticles have been used in many economically important applications, it is highly desirable to ascertain the possible deleterious effects as well. Moreover, intentional application of nanoparticle-based pesticides and fertilizers is an issue of great concern, as it may pose serious hazards. From this perspective, the authors discussed the recent research aimed at defining effects of nanoparticles on various environments and  human health.

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Acknowledgments

The first and the last authors acknowledge the support of the training programmes, “Specialized Training Programme on Nanotechnology” and “Specialized Training Programme on Nanotechnology: Production, Estimation and Characterization of Nanoparticles”, organized by Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bengaluru, India, during 2012 and 2013. They wish to acknowledge https://mindthegraph.com/ for giving permission to use their icons in the figures.

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  1. Rain Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 136, Deovan, Jorhat, Assam, 785001, India

    Shailesh Pandey, Krishna Giri, Rajesh Kumar & Gaurav Mishra

  2. Institute of Wood Science and Technology, 18th Cross, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560003, India

    R. Raja Rishi

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Pandey, S., Giri, K., Kumar, R. et al. Nanopesticides: Opportunities in Crop Protection and Associated Environmental Risks. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 88, 1287–1308 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-016-0791-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-016-0791-2

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