**4. Interaction of polymeric nanocomposite with plants**

Interaction of polymeric nanocomposite with plants (accumulation, uptake, and translocation), depends on various factors such as shape, size, surface charge, stability, chemical nature, functional group, and species of the plants. The cellwall of the plants is one of the major sites of interaction with nanomaterials/other micronutrients. The cell-wall does not permit any foreign particles including nanomaterials/other micronutrients because it acts as a physical barrier. The plant cell-wall contains phosphate, hydroxyl, carboxylate, sulfhydryl, and imidazole

**83**

*Polymeric Nanocomposite-Based Agriculture Delivery System: Emerging Technology…*

phytotoxicity at higher concentration due to accumulation [17, 80–83].

**5. Polymeric nanomaterial improved genetic engineering**

Genetic engineering of the plant system is basically efforts of environmental sustainability, synthesis of product, and engineering of agricultural crops; therefore, advancement of genetic engineering is essential for growing population. The gene editing includes various techniques to use for accurately modifying the genome sequence. The emergence of gene editing is an exciting approach especially for agriculture scientist because of the simple process and accuracy that are able to develop improved variety of crops (addition of valuable traits and deletion of antagonistic traits). With the help of genome editing/genetic engineering, researchers continue to focus on the improvement in the yield of the crops with adverse conditions such as changes in climate. Usually, the cell-wall of the plants represents as a physical barrier; therefore, delivery of biomolecules/genes is difficult compared

The size of the nanomaterials/other micronutrients is one of the important factors for uptake and translocation. The smaller size (20–200 nm) favors the uptake and translocation within the plants. Moreover, carbon-based nanomaterials like CNTs and CNFs ~500 nm or less easily translocate within the plants due to their movement across the epidermis to cortex to vascular bundle. The nanomaterials are translocated to root to shoot to leaves through cell-wall network and plasmodesmata. The capillary action and osmotic forces are also one of the driving forces of translocation of nanomaterials within the plants. Additionally, the types of nanomaterials and chemical composition also affect the uptake and translocation within the plants. The functionalization and coating of nanomaterials alter the adsorption and accumulation ability within the plants. Some of the nanomaterials might accumulate at Casparian strip, whereas another translocate with symplastic

Recently, carbon-based nanomaterials like CNTs and CNFs acted as carriers for genes/micronutrients/biomolecules within the cells. Various are studies performed to understand the exact mechanism behind the nanomaterial uptake and translocation [81]. The larger sized nanomaterials are unable to penetrate cell-walls; however, a study on *Arabidopsis thaliana* leaf suggested the creation of endocytosislike structure in plasma membrane [85]. Liu et al. suggested that water-soluble SW-CNTs with ~500 nm (length) were exposed on *Nicotiana tabacum.* The watersoluble SW-CNTs are able to penetrate through rigid and integral cell wall [86]. In general, several factors including surface charge, size, chemical nature, and surface coating influence the uptake and translocation ability within the plants [87]. Moreover, functionalization of nanomaterials with chemical/polymer might change the properties of materials, thereby easily translocating within the plants [88, 89].

groups that produce complex biomolecules, thereby selective translocation and uptake. There are two main properties that affect the uptake and translocation of nanomaterials/other micronutrients: (1) surface charge and (2) size. The surface charge of the nanomaterials/other micronutrients is one of the important parameters. The negatively charged nanomaterials/other micronutrients might favor translocation and uptake within the plants due to negatively charged plant cell-wall. The negatively charged nanomaterials/other micronutrients and plants do not attract each other, thereby easily uptake and translocation of the materials. On the other hand, positively charged nanomaterials/other micronutrients and negatively charged plant cell-wall attract each other, thereby accumulating on the root surface. The metal nanoparticles are positively charged, thereby having high accumulation and less translocation ability. Moreover, these metal nanoparticles also show

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89702*

routes towards shoot and root [84].

*Polymeric Nanocomposite-Based Agriculture Delivery System: Emerging Technology… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89702*

groups that produce complex biomolecules, thereby selective translocation and uptake. There are two main properties that affect the uptake and translocation of nanomaterials/other micronutrients: (1) surface charge and (2) size. The surface charge of the nanomaterials/other micronutrients is one of the important parameters. The negatively charged nanomaterials/other micronutrients might favor translocation and uptake within the plants due to negatively charged plant cell-wall. The negatively charged nanomaterials/other micronutrients and plants do not attract each other, thereby easily uptake and translocation of the materials. On the other hand, positively charged nanomaterials/other micronutrients and negatively charged plant cell-wall attract each other, thereby accumulating on the root surface. The metal nanoparticles are positively charged, thereby having high accumulation and less translocation ability. Moreover, these metal nanoparticles also show phytotoxicity at higher concentration due to accumulation [17, 80–83].

The size of the nanomaterials/other micronutrients is one of the important factors for uptake and translocation. The smaller size (20–200 nm) favors the uptake and translocation within the plants. Moreover, carbon-based nanomaterials like CNTs and CNFs ~500 nm or less easily translocate within the plants due to their movement across the epidermis to cortex to vascular bundle. The nanomaterials are translocated to root to shoot to leaves through cell-wall network and plasmodesmata. The capillary action and osmotic forces are also one of the driving forces of translocation of nanomaterials within the plants. Additionally, the types of nanomaterials and chemical composition also affect the uptake and translocation within the plants. The functionalization and coating of nanomaterials alter the adsorption and accumulation ability within the plants. Some of the nanomaterials might accumulate at Casparian strip, whereas another translocate with symplastic routes towards shoot and root [84].

Recently, carbon-based nanomaterials like CNTs and CNFs acted as carriers for genes/micronutrients/biomolecules within the cells. Various are studies performed to understand the exact mechanism behind the nanomaterial uptake and translocation [81]. The larger sized nanomaterials are unable to penetrate cell-walls; however, a study on *Arabidopsis thaliana* leaf suggested the creation of endocytosislike structure in plasma membrane [85]. Liu et al. suggested that water-soluble SW-CNTs with ~500 nm (length) were exposed on *Nicotiana tabacum.* The watersoluble SW-CNTs are able to penetrate through rigid and integral cell wall [86].

In general, several factors including surface charge, size, chemical nature, and surface coating influence the uptake and translocation ability within the plants [87]. Moreover, functionalization of nanomaterials with chemical/polymer might change the properties of materials, thereby easily translocating within the plants [88, 89].
