Nanobionics in Bioenergy and Crop Production

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) to augment or regulate specific processes that may significantly boost crop output is known as “nanobionics” in agriculture. NPs penetrate and interact with the plant system at the cellular and subcellular levels via a variety of pathways, mostly from roots and leaves. Metal-based NPs have been found to be effective in enhancing crop production by accelerating photosynthesis and protecting crops from a number of biotic and abiotic stresses. Recently, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising tool in biofuel production. The use of NPs as nanocarriers enhances the efficiency of enzymes used in biofuel production from biowaste. Therefore, the yield of biofuels such as biogas, biodiesel, biohydrogen and bioethanol can be enhanced by the use of NPs in the production processes. Considering the importance of Nanobionics, various aspects of its utilisation in agriculture as well as bioenergy production, and the mechanisms of NPs action in enhancing crop and biofuel production will be discussed in the chapter.