Nano-enabled fertilizers to control the release and use efficiency of nutrients

The productivity of current agricultural practices relies heavily on fertilizer use. A major limitation of conventional fertilizers is their low crop nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and high loss into water bodies. One important approach to address this issue is to engineer nano-enabled fertilizers to deliver nutrients to crops in a controlled release manner. Herein, we concentrate on the strategies for design and use of nano-enabled fertilizers that can control nutrient release and enhance NUE. This review featured six types of nanostructured materials as nutrient carriers: nanoclays, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, mesoporous silica, carbon-based nanomaterials, polymeric nanoparticles, and other nanomaterials. The associated discussion and perspectives suggest future directions toward development of standardized and comprehensive evaluation systems, design of multifunctional nanomaterials, and construction of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers.