Harnessing Nanotechnology for Improved Crop Growth and Protection
A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Protection, Diseases, Pests and Weeds".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editors
Interests: green nanoparticle synthesis; selenium nanoparticles; biostimulant properties; antifungal activity; selenium biofortification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: nanoparticles for controlling plant pathogens; plant health; nanophytopathology; nanotechnological tools
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Currently, agricultural crop production is under increasing pressure to meet the growing demand for plant foods, due to constant environmental changes that cause stress to plants, the need to preserve ecological balance, and the maintenance of sustainable production in agroecosystems. In this regard, nanotechnology offers a wide range of solutions that have been developed and optimized to improve the growth and resilience of cultivated plants. Nanomaterials show great potential in terms of addressing various challenges, including abiotic and biotic stress, due to their unique properties of size, shape, surface area, and reactivity.
This Special Issue focuses on the application of nanotechnology in agriculture, including in nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, nanosensors, nanoencapsulation, and nanoliberation systems. We welcome articles on nanofertilizers with the potential to improve nutrient use efficiency, reduce the environmental impact of fertilizer application, provide specific nutrient supply, and biofortify crops. Nanopesticides offer more effective and safer alternatives to conventional pesticides, improving the specificity and reducing the toxicity of pest and disease control agents. Additionally, nanosensors contribute to precision agriculture by enabling the real-time monitoring of soil conditions, crop health, and environmental parameters. Finally, nanotransport systems that facilitate the controlled release of agrochemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides, reduce their environmental impact and enhance their effectiveness. Studies on the potential toxicity and bioaccumulation of nanomaterials in the environment and the food chain are also welcome.
This Special Issue welcomes mini-reviews, reviews, and original articles that encompass all aspects of the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, exploring their use as nanofertilizers and biostimulants for plant growth, metabolism, and tolerance to abiotic stress, as well as in pesticides (fungicides, bactericides, insecticides, nematicides, and weedicides) for crop protection against biotic stress.
Dr. Soledad García-Morales
Dr. Graciela Dolores Ávila-Quezada
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. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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
- nanofertilizer
- nano-biostimulants nanopesticides
- nanocarriers
- nano-encapsulation
- nanodelivery systems
- nanosensors
- sustainable agriculture
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