Green Nanoparticles in Precision Agriculture: A Critical Review of Smart Crop Management, Nano-Enabled Delivery Systems, and Sustainable Farming.

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural production requires approaches that improve resource-use efficiency while limiting environmental burdens. This critical review examines green-synthesized Nanoparticles (NPs) in precision agriculture, covering sustainable synthesis, smart crop management, nano-enabled delivery systems, nano-biosensors, plant-nanoparticle interactions, environmental risks, circular agriculture, and digital technologies. The NPs derived from Plant, microbial, biomolecule, and waste shows potential for targeted nutrient delivery, crop protection, stress management, and improved monitoring. However, reported performance varies with NP size, surface properties, concentration, formulation, crop type, soil, and environmental conditions. The review therefore critically considers both benefits and risks, including phytotoxicity, effects on beneficial microorganisms, persistence, bioaccumulation, and long-term ecosystem impacts. Waste-derived NPs and circular nanomanufacturing offer opportunities for resource recovery and agricultural waste valorization, but their scalability and economic feasibility remain uncertain. The integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoTs), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), remote sensing, and smart decision-support systems may improve site-specific management. The review also examines technology readiness, commercialization pathways, manufacturing consistency, cost, and regulatory requirements. The green NPs shows promise for sustainable precision agriculture, but wider adoption requires stronger field validation, standardized characterization, environmental risk assessment, reproducible manufacturing, economic evaluation, and responsible regulatory development.