Nanofertilizers for Sustainable Crop Production: A Comprehensive Review

With the rapid population explosion, the demand for food sources will continue to rise. The use of chemical fertilizers in disproportionate quantities to meet the food demand has caused nutrient imbalances and losses in the soil. Using chemical fertilizer excessively often finds its way to water resources and leads to water pollution. Hence, alternative measures must be adopted to achieve sustainable agricultural production systems rather than the conventional practice of chemical fertilization. In this context, applying nanoformulation and/or nanofertilizer draws attention to its ability to improve crop production and fertilizer use efficiency without causing damage to the environment. Nano-inorganic and nano-organic fertilizers help to transport nutrients gradually in a sustainable way at a specific dose to the crops, thereby enhancing the rate of nutrient absorption by the crop plants. Many reports indicate that using nanofertilizer has reduced nutrient (e.g., P, Zn) acquisition by crops in deficient soils. In this review, the recent advances in nanoformulations as fertilizers are highlighted. It focuses mainly on applying nano-macronutrients, nano-micronutrients, nano-biofertilizer, nano-vermicompost, and nanobiochar in different crops for yield and growth enhancement, better nutrient use efficiency, and sustainability of soil health. The potential additional benefits and precise concerns are also discussed for sustainable agricultural production.