Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
capacity, which could effectively improve the utilization of fertilizer and water
resources simultaneously. They also found that SSNF could be applied in agricul-
ture and horticulture, especially in drought-prone areas where the availability of
water is insufficient. Qiang et al. (
2008
) reported that the wheat grain yield and
protein were improved in some degree, but protein content was increased insignif-
icantly, and soluble sugar content was decreased by slow-/controlled-release fertil-
izer coated and felted by nanomaterials compared with NPK chemical fertilizer. It
was effective to use slow-/controlled-release fertilizer coated by nanomaterials to
improve wheat yield and quality.
3.6.1 Effect of Nanocomposites on Crop Growth
Liu et al. (
2005a
) reported that the kaoline nano-subnanocomposite was prepared
by the methods of organic material intercalation under certain temperature and
pressure. This compound was used as the cementing and coating material of slow-/
controlled-release fertilizer because of its strong adsorption and thickness to mac-
ronutrients and organic C.
Liu et al. (
2005b
) reported that the addition of nano-subnanocomposites benefits
the soil and raises the utilized efficiency of fertilizer because of its excellent
characteristics. The physical adsorption and chemical combination occurred
between nutrient elements and nanocomposites due to surface reaction and small-
size reaction of nanocomposites. They formed the efficient multifunctional fertil-
izer, which heightened the adsorption of nutrient elements by plants, lowered the
leaching in soil, and the fixation of fertilizer in the soil. Liu and Zhang (
2005
)
reported that the nano-subnanocomposites significantly affected or controlled the
structure and penetrability of the soil, increased the organic mineral granule of the
soil, improved fertilizer storage and water holding capability in the soil, promoted
action of microorganisms, regulated the ratio of C/N, enhanced the fertility of the
soil, and so on. Improved yields have been claimed for fertilizers that are incorpo-
rated into cochleate nanotubes (rolled-up lipid bilayer sheets). The release of
nitrogen by urea hydrolysis has been controlled through the insertion of urease
enzymes into nanoporous silica (Hossain et al.
2008
). Eberl (
2008
) tested the
controlled-release fertilizers in greenhouse pot experiments with sorghum-sudan
grass using NH
4
-saturated zeolite and P-rock with a phosphate application rate of
340 mg kg
1
soil and zeolite/P-rock ratios ranging from 0 to 6. Total phosphate
uptake and phosphate concentration measured for the grass were related linearly to
the zeolite/P-rock ratio, and yields summed over four cuttings were as much as four
times larger than control experiments. Sultan et al. (
2009
) reported that the devel-
opment of functional nanoscale films and devices has the potential to produce
significant gains in the NUE and crop production.
Nano-silica particles absorbed by roots have been shown to form films at the cell
walls, which can enhance the plant
s resistance to stress and lead to improved yields
'
(DeRosa et al.
2010
).
