Optimising engineered nanomaterials for use as fertiliser in agriculture and improving nitrogen use efficiency

Nitrogen (N) is essential for crop growth and is one of the main components of agricultural fertilisers. N fertilisers alone however are inefficient, encouraging an excess of fertiliser to be added to soils, leading to high costs for farmers and waste produced. This waste alters N cycling in the soil, polluting waterways and air, causing lasting damage to biodiversity and contributing to climate change. Nanotechnology applies nanoscale materials in novel contexts in order to utilise their quantum properties. Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), whether a fertiliser themselves or as a carrier of a fertiliser, are able to slowly release nutrients into the soil. This process of slow release reduces leaching of nutrients into waterways and loss through transformation into gaseous emissions. By improving the efficiency of nutrient uptake by plant roots the negative effects of fertilisers should be minimised, improving the net sustainability of agriculture. Characterising how different ENMs respond to different soil and hydroponic environments and the modes of action they utilise is essential to identify the best routes for nanofertiliser usage commercially.
Another form of agriculture is hydroponics, where crops are grown using nutrient solutions. Hydroponics is a more sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture, using less water and land. Applying ENMs to hydroponics systems with the industrial partner, Saturn Bioponics, will provide another potential avenue for nanofertiliser use and further understanding of how different environments affect their efficacy.
The project's core aims are to optimise nanofertilisers in a hydroponics system, deepen understanding about the transformations ENMs undergo, and develop best practice for their use in different agricultural contexts. Nanofertilisers are an exciting opportunity to improve nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture, aiding in sustainable intensification whilst minimising environmental impacts to land, water and air.