Selenium Nanomaterials: Contribution Toward Crop Development

The current climatic conditions, environmental practices, and immoderate use of chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides have undesirable effects on agriculture and farming. Some sustainable and targeted methods need to be inculcated while farming. Nanofertilizers are known for their potential for increased bioavailability and slow release within the target plant. This reduces the wastage and excess leaching of the material into soil and water bodies. Selenium (Se), being a nutritionally important element, has crucial physiological functions in the biological system. This makes selenium a booster for enhancing the production of essential plant metabolites, secondary metabolites, and the total yield, which is also economically beneficial. The elemental form of selenium converted into a nanostructure is less toxic to the environment as compared to its organic and inorganic forms. Moreover, the use of nanofertilizers in modern agriculture techniques has shown interest in using selenium-based nanofertilizers. The biological methods can prove a better option to be implemented for synthesizing selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), which in the future can be utilized as a selenium nanofertilizer. This chapter will introduce the use of SeNPs on different crop plants and their implementation to make it a part of new-generation farming.