Nanofertilizers for sustainable fruit production: a review

The demand for quality food is expected to increase with the rising population across the globe. Fruits are a major source of nutraceuticals, yet nutrient depletion in soils is altering fruit cultivation. Conventional fertilizers have raised food production after the green revolution, yet intensive agriculture has induced soil degradation and food contamination by pesticides. Conventional fertilizers are poorly efficient, and only about 20% or less of the applied fertilizer is used by the crop plant, the rest being mineralized or leached to groundwater and rivers, causing issues of cost, eutrophication and human health. Alternatively, nanofertilizers appear promising because nanoparticles display unique properties due to their physicochemical characteristics at the nanoscale. Here, we review applications of nanoparticles in fruit crops. Benefits include fruit productivity, quality and shelf life through their positive effects on anatomical, morphological, physiological, physicochemical and molecular traits. We also discuss the role of nanofertilizers in gene expression, regulation and translocation for mitigating abiotic stresses.

Automated summary

The demand for quality food is expected to increase with the rising population, while traditional fertilizers have brought environmental issues despite increasing food production. Nanofertilizers show promise in fruit crops by increasing productivity, quality, and shelf life, as well as mitigating abiotic stresses.