List of Contributors xix
Foreword xxvii
Foreword xxix
Preface xxxi
Acknowledgments xxxiii

1 Nanotechnology and Microbiology for Sustainable Agriculture: An Introduction 1
Rajeshwari Negi, Babita Sharma, Neelam Yadav, Ashok Yadav, Paridhi Puri, Farhan Zameer, and Ajar Nath Yadav

1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Nanoparticles and Their Types 2
1.3 Methods of Nanomaterial Synthesis 5
1.4 Why Use Nanotechnology in Agriculture 6
1.5 Microbial Nanotechnology and Sustainable Agricultural Development 8
1.6 Regulatory Policies and Considerations 9
1.7 Environmental Issues Associated with Microbial Nanoparticles 11
1.8 Conclusions 12

2 Nanomaterials in Agriculture and Soil Revitalization: Applications and Challenges 25
Slimane Mokrani, El-hafid Nabti, Omar Khirennas, and Karim Houali

2.1 Introduction 25
2.2 Effect of Nanomaterials on Soil and Plant Systems 26
2.3 Applications in Agriculture 30
2.4 Challenges and Opportunities 34
2.5 Recommendations and Expected Future Aspects 36
2.6 Conclusions 37

3 Phosphorus-Solubilizing Microbes and Nanotechnologies for Plant Growth Promotion and Soil Health 45
Divjot Kour, Babita Sharma, Damini Maithani, Ali Khalaf Ahmed Albaggar, Tanvir Kaur, Abdulaziz M.S. Alqahtani, Sofia Sharief Khan, Hemant Dasila, Neelam Yadav, and Ajar Nath Yadav

3.1 Introduction 45
3.2 Phosphorus as an Important Macronutrient for Plants 46
3.3 Phosphate-Solubilizing Microbes 47
3.4 Mechanism of Microbial Phosphorus Solubilization 50
3.5 Phosphorus-Solubilizing Microbes as Bioinoculants for Sustainable Agriculture 52
3.6 Phosphorus Nanofertilizers in Agriculture 54
3.7 Conclusion 55

4 Role of Fungi in the Production of Bioactive Compounds and Nanotechnology 65
Laith Khalil Tawfeeq Al-Ani, Ivana Mitrovic, Alejandra G. Becerra, Maura Téllez-Téllez, and Lobna Hajji-Hedfi

4.1 Introduction 65
4.2 Fungal Diversity 66
4.3 Types of Fungal Secondary Metabolites 69
4.4 Fungi in Nanoparticle Biosynthesis 79
4.5 Conclusions 82

5 Potential Applications of Cyanobacterial Nanoparticles in Agriculture 95
Rajeshwari Negi, Babita Sharma, Faezeh Parastesh, Tanvir Kaur, Samrendra Singh Thakur, Subhikshaa Bagavathiappan, Ashok Yadav, Sofia Sharief Khan, Neelam Yadav, Paridhi Puri, and Ajar Nath Yadav

5.1 Introduction 95
5.2 Synthesis of Nanoparticles 97
5.3 Cyanobacteria as a Source of Nanoparticles Synthesis 104
5.4 Mechanism of Cyanobacteria Mediated Nanoparticles Biosynthesis 108
5.5 Characterization of Biosynthesized Nanoparticles 109
5.6 Molecular Insights into Nanoparticle Toxicity 110
5.7 Applications of Cyanobacterial-based Nanoparticles in Agriculture 111
5.8 Future Projections of Nanoparticle Synthesis 113
5.9 Conclusion 114

6 Role of Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Nanotechnology 125
Chandra Kant Sharma, Harshit Chavda, Saleha Diwan, Vijay Upadhye, Nitin Mahendra Chauhan, and Sunil Tulshiram Hajare

6.1 Introduction 125
6.2 Beneficial Microorganisms in Sustainable Agriculture 126
6.3 Environmental Nanotechnology 132
6.4 Conclusions 136

7 Microbial Nanotechnology in Plant Growth Promotion and Crop Protection 141
Neelam Thakur, Samiksha Jhamta, Simranjeet Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur Brar, Taniya Chauhan, Hanika Kapoor, Avtar Kaur Sidhu, and Ajar Nath Yadav

7.1 Introduction 141
7.2 Microorganisms as Nano-factories 143
7.3 Microbial Nanoparticles in Plant Growth Promotion 144
7.4 Microbial Nanoparticles in Crop Protection 151
7.5 The Use of Nanoscale Materials Produced by Microbes Carries Some Risks 155
7.6 Microbial Nanoparticle Formulations 156
7.7 Conclusions 157

8 Microbial Nanotechnology in Biocontrol of Insect Pest 169
Preety Tomar, Parul Sharma, Yankita Negi, Sakshi Sharma, Vijay Bharti Sharma, and Ajar Nath Yadav

8.1 Introduction 169
8.2 Microbial Biosynthesis of Nanoparticles 170
8.3 Role of Nanotechnology in Agricultural Sustainability 174
8.4 Nanoparticles as Biopesticides 175
8.5 Applications Against Insect Pests 176
8.6 Mechanism of Action of Nanoparticles Against Insects 178
8.7 Risk Concerns, Regulatory Policies, and Considerations 180
8.8 Conclusion and Future Perspective 180

9 Role of Actinomycetes in the Bioactive Synthesis of Nanoparticles 189
Dibyajit Lahiri, Moupriya Nag, Manoj Singh, Arunava Goswami, Ritwik Banerjee, Dipro Mukherjee, Sayantani Garai, Ankita Dey, and Rina Rani Ray

9.1 Introduction 189
9.2 Synthesis of Biogenic Nanoparticles from Actinomycetes 191
9.3 Nanoparticle (Biogenic) Production by Actinomycetes 191
9.4 Development of Metal Oxides, Metal-based Nanomaterials, and Nano-antibiotics from Actinomycetes 192
9.5 Mechanism of Synthesis of NPs by Actinomycetes 192
9.6 Intracellular and Extracellular Synthesis of NPs by Actinomycetes 193
9.7 Factors Controlling the Mechanism of Synthesis of NPs 194
9.8 Actinomycetes NPs and Their Antifungal Activities 194
9.9 Actinomycetes NPs with Antiparasitic Activity 194
9.10 Applications of Actinomycetes NPs Based on Biological Grounds 195
9.11 Synthesis of Biogenic Nanoparticles from Actinomycetes-derived Compounds 196
9.12 Challenges of Using Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles 197
9.13 Conclusions 198

10 Nanotechnology for Genetically Modified Organisms in Food Production 205
Rahul Nitnavare, Joorie Bhattacharya, and Sougata Ghosh

10.1 Introduction 205
10.2 Nanomaterials-Driven Genetic Engineering in Plants 209
10.3 Cargo Delivery Systems 213
10.4 RNAi and Nanotechnology 218
10.5 Conclusion and Future Prospects 220

11 Bioremediation of Contaminants Using Microbial Nanotechnologies for Agricultural Sustainability 227
Farhan Zameer, Kounaina Khan, Pratheek Jain, Subrahmanya Padyana, and Ajar Nath Yadav

11.1 Introduction 227
11.2 Soil and Its Components Supporting Ecosystem Sustainability 228
11.3 Major Contaminants in Agricultural Soil 234
11.4 Role of Nanotechnology in Soil Health 236
11.5 Microbial-Mediated Bioremediation of Soil Contaminants and Their Mode of Action 238
11.6 Microbial Nanotechnology Bioremediation Strategies for Soil Contaminants 239
11.7 Nanotechnology in Mycoremediation 241
11.8 Nanoparticle-Enhanced Phytoremediation 241
11.9 Smart Sensors for Monitoring Soil Remediation 242
11.10 Opportunities in Microbial Nanotech Bioremediation 243
11.11 Challenges in Microbial Nanotech Bioremediation 244
11.12 Conclusions and Future Directions 246

12 Nanoparticles for Bioremediation of Heavy Metals from Agricultural Fields 255
Dalaq Aiysha and Salma Mukhtar

12.1 Introduction 255
12.2 Heavy Metal Contamination in Agricultural Fields 257
12.3 Conventional Methods for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Agricultural Lands 258
12.4 Nanoparticles 259
12.5 Nano-remediation of Soils and Groundwater with Nanoparticles 260
12.6 Nano-bioremediation Approaches for Heavy Metal-contaminated Agricultural Fields 263
12.7 Conclusion and Future Scope 269

13 Biologically Synthesized Nanomaterials and their Antimicrobial Potentials for Crop Protection 279
Urvashi Mittal, Sarvjeet Kukreja, Nidhi Selwal, Nitu Gautam, and Umesh Goutam

13.1 Introduction 279
13.2 Biologically (or Green) Synthesized Nanoparticles 280
13.3 Interaction and Uptake of Biogenic Nanoparticles with Plants and Microbes 282
13.4 Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Activity of Biogenic Nanoparticles 284
13.5 Plant-Based Nanoparticles 285
13.6 Applications of Biogenic Nanoparticles in Agriculture 291
13.7 Challenges and Future Prospects 293
13.8 Conclusion 295

14 Nanostructures for Immobilization of Agriculturally Used Cells and Enzymes 301
Nafiseh Sadat Naghavi, Fahimeh Sarami, and Golnoosh Rezaeizadeh

14.1 Introduction 301
14.2 Immobilized Whole Cell Microorganisms Used in Agriculture 302
14.3 Immobilized Microbial Enzymes Used in Agriculture 307
14.4 Transforming Agricultural Wastes by Immobilized Cells and Enzymes 311
14.5 Biodegradation of Contaminants from Soil by Immobilized Cells and Enzymes 313
14.6 Conclusion 315

15 Nanopesticides and Their Potential Applications for Crop Protection 325
Kounaina Khan, Farhan Zameer, Pratheek Jain, Subrahmanya Padyana, and Ajar Nath Yadav

15.1 Introduction 325
15.2 Synthesis of Nanopesticides 327
15.3 Types of Nanopesticides 331
15.4 Mechanism of Nanopesticides 334
15.5 Applications of Nanopesticides in Crop Protection 337
15.6 Regulatory Challenges and Future Direction 341
15.7 Limitations 342
15.8 Conclusions 342

16 Nanobiosensors in Agricultural and Environmental Sustainability 349
Monika Kundu, Shiv Prasad, Shipra Singh, Prameela Krishnan, and Ajar Nath Yadav

16.1 Introduction 349
16.2 Biosensor 351
16.3 The Fusion of Nanotechnology with the Biosensor: Nanobiosensor 352
16.4 Nanobiosensors to Promote Agricultural Sustainability 359
16.5 Nanobiosensors for Natural Resource Management and Environmental Sustainability 366
16.6 Future Prospects and Challenges 368
16.7 Conclusions 370

17 Nanotechnology and Genetically Modified Organisms for Agricultural Sustainability 375
Guillermo Fernandez-Bunster

17.1 Introduction 375
17.2 Concept of Sustainability and Others 376
17.3 Nanotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture 378
17.4 Consequences of the Use of Nanotechnology in Sustainability 390
17.5 Genetically Modified Organisms in Sustainable Agriculture 391
17.6 GMO Uses in Agricultural Sustainability 397
17.7 Consequences of the Use of GMO in Sustainable Agriculture 401
17.8 General Considerations for the Use of GMOs and Nanotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture 403
17.9 Conclusions 406

18 Global Nanotechnology Research for Agriculture 421
Kounaina Khan, Farhan Zameer, Pratheek Jain, Subrahmanya Padyana, and Ajar Nath Yadav

18.1 Introduction 421
18.2 Nanomaterials in Agriculture 426
18.3 Nanotechnology for Precision Agriculture 427
18.4 Sustainable Agriculture: Nanotechnology's Role in Reducing Environmental Impact 428
18.5 Nanotechnology in Seed Science and Crop Enhancement 430
18.6 Safety, Toxicology, and Environmental Impact of Nanomaterials 431
18.7 Global Trends in Nanotechnology Research for Agriculture 432
18.8 Case Studies: Success Stories and Field Trials 433
18.9 Challenges and Limitations of Nanotechnology in Agriculture 435
18.10 Future Outlook: Advancing Nanotechnology for Global Agriculture 436
18.11 Conclusions 438

19 Regulatory Aspects of Nanotechnology in the Agriculture Sector 445
Ayomide Emmanuel Fadiji, Adegboyega Adeniji, and Adedayo Ayodeji Lanrewaju

19.1 Introduction 445
19.2 Overview of Nanotechnology in Agriculture 446
19.3 Regulatory Frameworks for Nanotechnology 449
19.4 Specific Regulations and Standards for Nanotechnology in Agriculture 453
19.5 Ethical and Societal Considerations 454
19.6 Future Directions and Recommendations 459
19.7 Conclusion 461

20 Functional Annotation of Microbes and Nanotechnology for Agricultural Productivity 469
Manali Singh, Shivani Bhutani, and Sagar Chhabra

20.1 Introduction 469
20.2 Microbes and their Classification Based on Location 471
20.3 Nanotechnology: Opportunities and Challenges for Agriculture 476
20.4 Bacteria in Biogenesis of Nanoparticles 480
20.5 Functional Annotation and the Importance of Studying Genome Metagenomes and Microbial Structure and Nanomaterial-producing Microbiomes 482
20.6 Conclusions 486
Acknowledgment 486

21 Nanotechnology and Microbiology for Agricultural Sustainability: Current Research and Future Challenges 497
Rajeshwari Negi, Tanvir Kaur, Samiksha Jhamta, Neelam Yadav, Ashok Yadav, Paridhi Puri, Neelam Thakur, and Ajar Nath Yadav

21.1 Introduction 497
21.2 Nanoparticles 498
21.3 Nanoparticles Interaction with Plants 500
21.4 The Physiochemical Response of Plants Toward Nanoparticle 502
21.5 Application of Microbial Nanotechnology in Agriculture 503
21.6 Microbial Nanotechnology and Agricultural Sustainable Development 507
21.7 Toxicological Impact of Nanoparticle Risk and Health Hazards in Agriculture Application 508
21.8 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 510

References 510
Index 519