Nanofibers for Sustainable Agriculture: A Short Communication

Abstract

Nanofibers could be defined as the fibers which have their diameters in nanometric range. These nanofibers have applied to many fields including the biomedical, pharmaceutical, environmental, and agricultural sectors. The previous fields have increased demand for eco-biodegradable sustainable materials that can use with high superior physical and mechanical properties like nanofibers. The medicinal and pharmaceutical fields have more attractive forces for investment compared to agriculture, which its investments in field of nanofibers still need more efforts. Concerning the agricultural field, nanofibers have been used for coating seeds, for plant protection, for encapsulation of agrochemicals, and for the filtration in irrigation systems. On the other hand, many applications of nanofibers in the environment could be adapted including air and water filtration, environmental sensing, water/wastewater treatment, heavy metal removing, for cosmeceutical purposes, and for antimicrobial treatment. However, more research should be undertaken to investigate different aspects of nanofibers on the agro-environment. There are still many unanswered questions about the impacts of nanofibers on soil biology and its quality. Further work is also required to establish the standardization of nanofiber-amendment for soil and water conservation in frame of sustainable development.