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Agronomy
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Nano-Farming: Crucial Solutions for the Future
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Nano-Farming: Crucial Solutions for the Future

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2025 | Viewed by 17109

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hassan El-Ramady

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Soil & Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516 Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt
Interests: drought; bioremediation; phytoremediation green technology; oxidative stress; phytotoxicity; plant nutrition; soil fertility; sustainable agriculture biofertilizers; nanofertilizers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. József Prokisch

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, University of Debrecen, 138 Böszörményi Street, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Interests: selenium; tellurium; electrospinning; food innovation; nanofibers
Prof. Dr. Eric C. Brevik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
Interests: soil survey; soils and climate change; carbon sequestration by soils; soils and human health; electromagnetic induction techniques in soil
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues:

Nanotechnology has great applications in all our life including the farming field. Farming and crop production nowadays suffer from many challenges, which include a lot of stress. These stresses include abiotic (heat stress, drought, salinity and heavy metals) and biotic (plant diseases caused by some microbes like bacteria, viruses, and fungi) stresses. Nano-farming can support crop production under such stresses and normal conditions as well. A better understanding of how to improve crop productivity under nano-application in different farming practices is needed. Several approaches should be found and applied to nano-manage all obstacles facing agricultural production, removing pollutants from soil and water as well as sustainable conservation of national resources, particularly the soil and water resources. Applied nanoparticles have shown promising potential to support crop growth under multiple stressors in a sustainable way as well as for nano remediation purposes. Nano-fertilizers have emerged as an alternative fertilizer for sustainable agriculture. Nano-remediation also can be used to solve many environmental problems including polluted soil and water. All sustainable approaches for soil health, food security and human health are also needed to be considered. Conservation of the degradation of soil and water in forestry and agroforestry using all available tools including nanomaterials are also important issues. The suing of soil mapping and remote sensing in managing the soil and water are promising tools.

Aim and scope:

  • Soil nano-remediation
  • Water nano-remediation
  • Soil nano-pollution
  • Nano-stress on crops
  • Nano-farming for handling agro-wastes
  • Degradation of agro-ecosystems and nanotechnology  

Cutting-edge research:

  • Nano-management for crop production
  • Nano-solutions for salinity and heat stress
  • Nano-solutions for drought and heat stress
  • Nano-solutions for waterlogging and salinity stress
  • Nano-biofortification
  • Crop nano-production under combined stresses
  • Bio-nano-fertilization
  • Nano-remediation and Plant-Soil interactions
  • Nano-remediation for crop productivity
  • Nano-remediation for contaminated soils
  • Nano-farming under biotic and abiotic stresses

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: Review, mini-review, original articles and short communication

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Hassan El-Ramady
Dr. József Prokisch
Prof. Dr. Eric C. Brevik
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nano-farming
  • soil pollution
  • nanomaterials
  • human health
  • nano-bioremediation
  • nano-pollution

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4704 KiB  
Article
The Role of Carbon Nanotubes in Improving Drought Tolerance via Upregulation of the Physiological Processes of Peanut Plants Grown in Sandy Soils
by Bakry A. Bakry, Mervat Sh. Sadak, Nagla M. Al Ashkar, Omar M. Ibrahim, Mohammad K. Okla and Amira M. El-Tahan
Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 611; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030611 - 18 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1380
Abstract
Drought stress is an important challenge to global food security and agricultural output, and dramatic and rapid climate change has made the problem worse, causing unexpected impacts on the growth, development, and yield of different plants. Understanding the biochemical, ecological, and physiological reactions [...] Read more.
Drought stress is an important challenge to global food security and agricultural output, and dramatic and rapid climate change has made the problem worse, causing unexpected impacts on the growth, development, and yield of different plants. Understanding the biochemical, ecological, and physiological reactions to these pressures is essential for improved management. Carbon materials’ impacts on plants subjected to different stresses are still poorly studied. Thus, this study was carried out investigate the feasibility of applying carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (0, 20, and 40 mg/L) as a foliar treatment for mitigating the effect of water stress (100%, 75%, and 50% irrigation water, IW) on peanut plants growing in sandy soil through assessments of growth and productivity and some physiological and biochemical measurements. Exposure of peanuts to decreased irrigation water led to significant decreases in growth, yield, photosynthetic pigments, indole acetic acid (IAA), and some nutritional components in peanut seeds, but increased levels of osmolytes such as total soluble carbohydrates (TSS) and proline, in addition to free amino acids and phenolics. However, foliar spraying with CNTs could ameliorate the impacts of decreased irrigation water on growth and production via enhancing the studied physiological parameters, such as photosynthetic pigments, IAA, osmolytes, and phenolics. Furthermore, the application of carbon nanotubes improved the nutrient contents, as expressed by the oil yield, protein yield, total carbohydrates, antioxidant activities (DPPH), B-carotene, lycopene, and flavonoids in peanut seeds, either under normal or water stress conditions. The higher level of CNTs (40 mg/L) was more effective than the lower one (20 mg/L) at increasing the above-mentioned parameters. In conclusion, foliar treatment with carbon nanotubes has the ability to enhance peanut drought tolerance and increase its growth and productivity under sandy soil conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Farming: Crucial Solutions for the Future)
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Review

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30 pages, 12702 KiB  
Review
Biotechnology of Nanofiber in Water, Energy, and Food Sectors
by József Prokisch, Daniella Sári, Arjun Muthu, Antal Nagy, Hassan El-Ramady, Neama Abdalla and Judit Dobránszki
Agronomy 2023, 13(11), 2734; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13112734 - 30 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2478
Abstract
Natural resources including water, energy, and food have an increase in demand due to the global population increases. The sustainable management of these resources is an urgent global issue. These resources combined in a very vital nexus are called the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus. [...] Read more.
Natural resources including water, energy, and food have an increase in demand due to the global population increases. The sustainable management of these resources is an urgent global issue. These resources combined in a very vital nexus are called the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus. The field of nanotechnology offers promising solutions to overcome several problems in the WEF nexus. This review is the first report that focuses on the suggested applications of nanofibers in the WEF sectors. An economic value of nanofibers in WEF sectors was confirmed, which was mainly successfully applied for producing clean water, sustainable energy, and safe food. Biotechnological solutions of nanofibers include various activities in water, energy, and food industries. These activities may include the production of fresh water and wastewater treatment, producing, converting, and storing energy, and different activities in the food sector. Furthermore, microbial applications of nanofibers in the biomedicine sector, and the most important biotechnological approaches, mainly plant tissue culture, are the specific focus of the current study. Applying nanofibers in the field of plant tissue culture is a promising approach because these nanofibers can prevent any microbial contamination under in vitro conditions, but the loss of media by evaporation is the main challenge in this application. The main challenges of nanofiber production and application depend on the type of nanofibers and their application. Different sectors are related to almost all activities in our life; however, enormous open questions still need to be answered, especially the green approach that can be used to solve the accumulative problems in those sectors. The need for research on integrated systems is also urgent in the nexus of WEF under the umbrella of environmental sustainability, global climate change, and the concept of one’s health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Farming: Crucial Solutions for the Future)
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27 pages, 7250 KiB  
Review
Nano-Management Approaches for Salt Tolerance in Plants under Field and In Vitro Conditions
by Daniella Sári, Aya Ferroudj, Neama Abdalla, Hassan El-Ramady, Judit Dobránszki and József Prokisch
Agronomy 2023, 13(11), 2695; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13112695 - 26 Oct 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2666
Abstract
Soil salinity is a serious global problem that threatens a high percentage of the global soils. Salinity stress can create ionic, oxidative, and osmotic stress, along with hormonal imbalances, in stressful plants. This kind of stress was investigated on agricultural productivity at different [...] Read more.
Soil salinity is a serious global problem that threatens a high percentage of the global soils. Salinity stress can create ionic, oxidative, and osmotic stress, along with hormonal imbalances, in stressful plants. This kind of stress was investigated on agricultural productivity at different levels, starting in vitro (plant tissue culture), through hydroponics, pots, and field conditions. Several approaches were studied for managing salinity stress, including using traditional materials (e.g., gypsum, sulfur), organic amendments (e.g., compost, biochar, chitosan), and applied manufactured or engineered nanomaterials (NMs). Application of nanomaterials for ameliorating salinity stress has gained great attention due to their high efficiency, eco-friendliness, and non-toxicity, especially biological nanomaterials. The application of NMs did not only support growing stressful plants under salinity stress but also increased the yield of crops, provided an economically feasible nutrient management approach, and was environmentally robust for sustainable crop productivity. Nano-management of salinity may involve applying traditional nano-amendments, biological nanomaterials, nano-enabled nutrients, nano-organic amendments, derived smart nanostructures, and nano-tolerant plant cultivars. Producing different plant cultivars that are tolerant to salinity can be achieved using conventional breeding and plantomics technologies. In addition to the large-scale use of nanomaterials, there is an urgent need to address and treat nanotoxicity. This study aims to contribute to this growing area of research by exploring different approaches for nano-management of current practices under salinity stress under field and in vitro conditions. This study also raises many questions regarding the expected interaction between the toxic effects of salinity and NMs under such conditions. This includes whether this interaction acts positively or negatively on the cultivated plants and soil biological activity, or what regulatory ecotoxicity tests and protocols should be used in research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Farming: Crucial Solutions for the Future)
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20 pages, 2064 KiB  
Review
Plant–Nanoparticle Interactions: Transcriptomic and Proteomic Insights
by Neelma Munir, Wafa Gulzar, Zainul Abideen, Mirza Hasanuzzaman, Ali El-Keblawy and Fengliang Zhao
Agronomy 2023, 13(8), 2112; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13082112 - 11 Aug 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2436
Abstract
In recent years, the relationship between plants and nanoparticles (NPs) has been the subject of extensive research interest. Hence, an ever-increasing number of perspectives connected with both the positive and adverse consequences of NPs application in plants are highlighted in this review. On [...] Read more.
In recent years, the relationship between plants and nanoparticles (NPs) has been the subject of extensive research interest. Hence, an ever-increasing number of perspectives connected with both the positive and adverse consequences of NPs application in plants are highlighted in this review. On the other hand, nanoparticles and their interactive effects on plants have raised concern regarding their harmful aspects. There are complex mechanisms evolved in plants for controlling the uptake, accumulation, and mobilization of nanoparticles that need to be discussed further, especially in the context of proteomics and genetic level. To fill this gap, there is a dire need for the integration and application of multiomics in plants to identify sensitive biomarkers responding to engineered NPs and to provide mechanistic insights in order to design safer and enhanced nano-enabled products for agriculture. For this purpose, transcriptomic technologies have essentially contributed to understanding of the molecular systems in plants against nanoparticle stress by laying out an association between gene expression and cell response. In light of this background, the current article attempts to summarize a variety of recent transcriptomic and proteomic contributions that have been made to establishing the genetic basis of nanoparticle uptake and the mechanism of stress response. The present article also looks at recent proteomic and transcriptomic studies to learn more about the intricate regulatory network that connects plant and nanoparticle stress responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Farming: Crucial Solutions for the Future)
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32 pages, 7579 KiB  
Review
Nanofarming: Promising Solutions for the Future of the Global Agricultural Industry
by Hassan El-Ramady, Neama Abdalla, Daniella Sári, Aya Ferroudj, Arjun Muthu, József Prokisch, Zakaria F. Fawzy, Eric C. Brevik and Svein Ø. Solberg
Agronomy 2023, 13(6), 1600; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13061600 - 13 Jun 2023
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6787
Abstract
The agricultural sector is a vital source of human well-being that provides the necessities of daily life. A variety of farming systems are utilized in agriculture, such as a wide range of tillage options, no-till, agroforestry, precision farming, organic farming, cover cropping, crop [...] Read more.
The agricultural sector is a vital source of human well-being that provides the necessities of daily life. A variety of farming systems are utilized in agriculture, such as a wide range of tillage options, no-till, agroforestry, precision farming, organic farming, cover cropping, crop rotations, etc. Each of these farming systems has unique challenges, and nanotechnology has successfully improved on many of them. Agricultural applications of nanotechnology include nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, nanosensors, nanobiotechnology, and nanoremediation. This study focuses on the application of nano-farming technologies to different farming systems. Suggested practices include nano improvement of soil quality, crop nano-protection under biotic stress, nanoremediation of polluted soil and water environments, nanomanagement of agro-wastes, nano-agrochemicals, nano-precision farming, and nanobiotechnology for modern farming. This review also addresses expected problems that may occur due to over application of nanomaterials to farming systems, such as nanopollution and nanotoxicity of agroecosystem compartments. Several dimensions are emphasized in this study, such as green energy, sustainable development, the circular bioeconomy, land biodegradation, pollution, and the one health approach, as essential for the global goals of sustainable development. Nanofarming presents both benefits and obstacles to human life. The exact balance between these benefits and challenges needs more study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Farming: Crucial Solutions for the Future)
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