**8. Review of literature**

15N studies using maize as a model system revealed that NUE from nano-fertilizer was higher than conventional fertilizer urea [7] (**Figure 4**).

Subramanian and Sharmila Rahale [7] reported that 15 N studies which were used in maize as a model system revealed that the N use efficiency from nanofertilizer was 82%, and the conventional fertilizer (urea) registered 42% with a net higher nitrogen use efficiency of 40%, which is hardly achievable in the conventional systems.

Bakhtiari et al. [8] also experimented during 2015 to assess the effect of Fe nano particles on yields and quality of wheat. They found that foliar spray of Fe @ 0.04%

**Figure 4.** *Comparison of N based nano-fertilizers with conventional N fertilizers.*


**Table 5.**

*Effect of Fe based nano-fertilizers on wheat crop.*

enhanced the spike weight, total biological yields, grain yields, and protein content in grains (**Table 5**).

Dey et al. [2] explained the various effects of nano-particles on plant growth (**Table 6**).

Davarpanah et al. [9] experimented during the year 2014–2015 to study the effect of nano-Zn and nano-B foliar fertilization on fruit diameter and fruit yield of pomegranate. They concluded that foliar spray of Boron and Zinc @ 4.5 and 120 ppm resulted in higher fruit diameter and fruit yield compared to other treatments. Where B1, B2 and Zn1, Zn2 are 3.25, 6.5 mg/L B and 60, 120 mg/L Zn, respectively (**Table 7**).

Likely, Tarafdar et al. [10] conducted a field experiment about nano-fertilizer on pearl millet to study the effect of Zn nano-fertilizers on pearl millet var. HHB 67. It was found that nano-fertilizer (Zn source) responded as well as a field application


#### **Table 6.**

*Nano particles for better seed germination and plant growth [2].*


#### **Table 7.**

*Effect of nano-Zn and nano-boron fertilizer combination on pomegranate crop.*

*Enhancing the Productivity of Field Crops through Nano-Fertilizer DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101146*


#### **Table 8.**

*Performance of nano-Zn fertilizer on pearl millet crop.*

on pearl millet. The pearl millet yield and biomass yield increased by nano-fertilizer over ordinary fertilizers (**Table 8**).

Metal oxide nanomaterials, such as CuO, ZnO, and MgO, could also effectively control many plants and soil-borne diseases caused by *Botrytis cinerea*, *Alternaria alternate*, *Monilinia fructicola*, *Colletotrichum gloeosporioides*, *Fusarium solani*, *Fusarium oxysporum* fsp Radicis Lycopersici, *Verticillium dahliae*, *Phytophthora infestans* and *Ralstonia solanacearum* in many plant species [11].

### **8.1 Nano-fertilizers in precision agriculture**

Nano fertilizer has significant advantages over conventional fertilizers (**Table 9**).

#### **8.2 Delivery of fertilizer**

Nano-particles hold nutrients more intensely due to high surface tension and provide high surface protection of surface particles.

## *8.2.1 Chemical fertilizers*

Chemical N-fertilizers cause atmospheric N2O emission: Solution—nano-coated urea, CRF (Zeolite, Halloysite, and Montmorillonite use for controlled release of nitrogenous fertilizers).


#### **Table 9.** *Nano-fertilizers vs. conventonal fertilizers.*

Encapsulated nano-silica, nano-additives (TiO2), PMAA, and Chitosan PMAA (addition of 400 ppm in fertilizers).
