Effect of nanofertilizers on growth and yield of selected cereals - A review

Nanoscience coupled with nanotechnology has emerged as possible cost-cutting measure to prodigal farming and environmental clean-up operations. Nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, which is more widely known using the novel term ‘nanotechnology’, is an emerging multidisciplinary field that can have enormous potential impact on our society. Nanofertilizers facilitate slow and steady release of nutrients and thereby reduce the loss of nutrients and enhance the nutrient use efficiency. The full recommended rate of conventional and nanofertilizer (FRR-CF+FRR-NF) enhanced the plant height, chlorophyll content, number of reproductive tillers, panicles, and spikelets in rice. The magnitudes of increase over the FRR-CF were 3.6%, 2.72%, 9.10%, 9.10%, and 15.42%, respectively. In rice, an exposure to Zn NP (at 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 & 150 mg L-1) caused significant changes in root and shoot length and mass (fresh and dry mass). The ZnO nanoparticles  increased the shoot dry matter and leaf area indexes by 63.8% and 69.7% respectively in mineral poor soils. The effect of TiO2 Nano particles was significant on number of corn in plant, maize dry weight and corn yield in P£0.05 in . Mean comparison showed that the highest number of corn in plant (10.10), maize dry weight (2396.35 kg ha-1) and corn yield (1744.13 kg ha-1) were achieved by flowering stage.  Silver nanoparticles in 25 ppm concentration have showed significant improvement in maximum leaf area and highest grain yield while 75 ppm concentration resulted in decrease in grain yield in wheat. Maximum number of grains per spike was recorded with 25 ppm followed by 50 ppm whereas maximum 100-grain weight was obtained for 25 and 125 ppm soil applied silver nanoparticles in wheat.