ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology, the science that works at the nanoscale, has immensely revolutionized the scientific world. Agriculture is the backbone of the human community as it fulfils an essential need for food. But due to the attack of pests, pathogens, insects, and nutrient deficiencies on crops and the arousal of the resulting diseases, the agriculture industry suffers from huge global annual losses arising from adverse conditions of food insecurity and famine. Treatment of plant disease by nanotechnological applications has been in view just a decade but has gained great importance. This is because of the high efficiency and specificity, which can be achieved by nanotechnological treatments with great ease and low toxicity effects. Nanoparticles like Ag, Au, TiO2, etc. have been used as drugs against a variety of plant diseases due to their antimicrobial activities, high biocompatibility, and bioavailability to plant systems. They have been extensively explored for the preparation of effective nanoformulations and bioactive molecule delivery systems. Some nanoparticles can also work as an immune system booster while the plant is in a diseased state. Though, nanotechnology seems highly promising in this regard because of its effective applications but it has associative drawbacks, which arise when a high concentration of nanomaterials get accumulated and lead to plant cell death, which limits commercialization. Hence, the present chapter is a compilation of the works that put forward nanotechnology’s current status in plant disease treatments and encourages deliberate research in this regard to overcome the challenges and prove nanotechnology as a highly effective weapon against plant diseases.
