Emerging Trends In Agri-Nanotechnology : Fundamental And Applied Aspects

The science of nanotechnology, the manipulation, design and engineering of devices at the atomic and molecular scale, is starting to be applied to many disciplines including aspects of agriculture and crop science. This book opens with a brief history of nanotechnology in agriculture. Applications are then examined in detail, including nanopesticides, nanosensors, nanofertilizers, and nanoherbicides. Topics covered include; the biosynthesis of nanoparticles (through microbes, plants and other biotic agents); the ecological consequences of their delivery into the environment (examining effects and toxicity on soil, soil biota, and plants); safety issues; an overview of the global market for nanotechnology products, and the regulation of nanotechnology in agriculture. The book concludes with speculations on what the future holds for the technology.The book has been written by an international group of researchers and experts from over 12 countries with experience across a wide range of issues relating to the industry.This book will be of use to a wide range of researchers and professional scientists in the agricultural sector, academia and industry, including microbiologists, chemical engineers, geneticists, plant scientists and biochemists.

- Professor Singh is Head of the Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University. Professpr Singh has been decorated with several National awards and honours for his key role in popularizing organic farming and translating agriculturally importnat microorganisms from lab to land. To his credit he has 20 U.S. patents which he has successfully transferred for commercial production of biopesticides to several industrial houses in India.

- Sandhya Mishra, PhD, is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in Soil Ecology Group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, P.R. China. Before this, Dr Mishra was DST-SERB Young Scientist at Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. She received her PhD in botany from Banaras Hindu University. Her research interests include plant-microbe interactions, plant pathology, biological control and exploitation of agriculturally important microorganisms for nanoparticles synthesis and their further implications for agricultural benefits. Dr Mishra has been working in the area of plant microbe interactions for the past ten years. She is currently running a project funded by DST-SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science & Technology) on the role of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles for plant disease management. Dr Mishra's research findings have resulted in several research papers and review articles in refereed journals, along with book and book chapters. Her honors include BHU Gold Medal, Bharat Gaurav Award and prestigious fellowships such as CSIR-SRF, UGC-Dr D.S. Kothari Postdoctoral fellowship and DST-SERB grant. Presently, Dr Mishra is a member of several scientific societies of international repute including Association of Microbiologists of India, Biotech Research Society of India, The Indian Science Congress Association and Asian PGPR Society for Sustainable Agriculture.

- Dr Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto, PhD, has a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the State University of Campinas (1997), a master's in Functional and Molecular Biology from the State University of Campinas (2000) and a PhD in Functional and Molecular Biology from the State University of Campinas (2003). He is currently an Associate Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology of São Paulo State University (UNESP), Campus Sorocaba at the Environmental Engineering undergraduate course and at the postgraduate in Environmental Sciences. He coordinated the Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences of Unesp/Sorocaba (from 2012 to 2016). He has experience in chemistry and biochemistry, with an emphasis on environmental nanotechnology and applications of nanotechnology in agriculture.

- Dr Renata de Lima, PhD, has a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of São Carlos (1991), an MSc in Genetics and Evolution from the Federal University of São Carlos (1996) and a PhD in Medical Sciences from Unicamp (2010). She was the coordinator of the Biotechnology undergraduate course of the University of Sorocaba 2006-14, and of the Engineeringof Biotechnology and Bioprocess undergraduate course 2014-16. She is professor of the postgraduate program in Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring (UFSCar) and of the postgraduate programs in Technology and Environment (Uniso) and Program of Masters and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Uniso). She has experience in genetics, with an emphasis in molecular biology, cytogenetics and mutagenesis. She works in the following areas: ecotoxicology, toxicity of nanomaterials, environmental mutagenesis, agrochemicals, biocides, molecular biology, molecular genetics, molecular genetics of microorganisms, alternative tests.