Role of nanotechnology in plant disease management
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Abstract: Nanotechnology is one of the most fascinating and rapidly advancing sciences and possess potential to revolutionize many disciplines of science, technology, medicine and agriculture. Conversion of macromaterials in to nano size particles (1-100 nm) gives birth to new characteristics and the material behaves differently. Nanoparticles can be produced by different methods, chemical and biological, the former is commercially used. Nanomaterials can be potentially used in the crop protection, especially in the plant disease management. Nanoparticles may act upon pathogens in a way similar to chemical pesticides or the nanomaterials can be used as carrier of active ingredients of pesticides, host defence inducing chemicals, etc. to the target pathogens. Because of ultra small size, nanoparticles may hit/target virus particles and may open a new field of virus control in plants. The disease diagnosis, pathogen detection and residual analysis may become much more precise and quick with the use of nanosensors. The present paper critically analyzes the relevance, scope and application of nanotechnology in plant disease management in future crop production.