“Nanotechnology is already a commercial reality in agriculture, although it is still in an expansion phase. The global agricultural nanotechnology market…”
Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto is coordinator of the National Institute of Science and Technology in Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture and Innovation coordinator at the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Biodiversity and Climate Change. He is an associate professor at São Paulo State University (Unesp), Sorocaba campus, with a degree in chemistry and a master’s and PhD in functional and molecular biology from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp).
AgriBrasilis – What is nanotechnology?
Leonardo Fraceto – Nanotechnology is the science dedicated to the study and manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular scale, working with structures on the order of nanometers. One nanometer is equivalent to one billionth of a meter, a scale invisible to the naked eye. At this dimension, materials begin to exhibit unique physical, chemical and biological properties distinct from those observed at larger scales.
In agriculture, this technology enables the development of innovative tools, such as nanoparticles that act as more efficient systems for transporting nutrients or active ingredients directly into plants.
AgriBrasilis – What does it mean when an input is “nanoformulated”? Can this innovation reduce pesticide use?
Leonardo Fraceto – It means that its active ingredients have been encapsulated or structured into nanometric-sized particles. This technique, known as nanoencapsulation, can use biodegradable materials such as chitosan to protect the active ingredient from degradation and even direct it to the target site.
This innovation can reduce the use of conventional pesticides. Traditional formulations rely on adjuvants to adhere to leaves and part of the product may reach the soil or be washed away by rain. Active ingredients encapsulated in nanoparticles, on the other hand, improve adhesion to the leaf surface, penetrate plant tissues more easily and release the active ingredient in a controlled manner.
Studies conducted by our group demonstrated that an atrazine-based nanoherbicide achieved weed-control efficiency ten times greater than that of the conventional formulation under field conditions. This means farmers can achieve the same level of control with lower doses, reducing production costs and minimizing environmental and food-related impacts.
AgriBrasilis – Is this technology commercially available?
Leonardo Fraceto – Nanotechnology is already a commercial reality in agriculture, although it is still in an expansion phase. The global agricultural nanotechnology market is projected to grow from around US$ 398.5 billion in 2024 to nearly US$ 966 billion by 2032, with nanopesticides accounting for a significant share of this growth.
In Brazil, products are already available on the market. Notable examples include copper-, silver-, zinc- and sulfur-based nanofungicides, which have shown high effectiveness in fungal control. Brazilian companies are already commercializing complete lines of nanofertilizers and nano-agrochemicals, including insecticides, acaricides and bactericides that promise gradual release and greater efficiency.
The use of nanotechnology has also been widely associated with studies aimed at ensuring the safety of these technologies. For example, nanometric herbicide formulations that were banned in some countries due to environmental impacts have demonstrated effectiveness at much lower doses and without causing impacts in the toxicological models studied.
There are still knowledge gaps regarding the long-term impacts of environmental and occupational exposure to certain nanomaterials. Therefore, innovation must go hand in hand with rigorous studies, ensuring that nanotechnology is not only efficient but also completely safe.
AgriBrasilis – Could these products help address resistance in weeds, pests and diseases?
Leonardo Fraceto – The resistance of weeds, pests and diseases to traditional crop protection products is one of the biggest economic bottlenecks in agribusiness. In the State of Rio Grande do Sul, herbicide-resistant ryegrass causes estimated losses of US$ 239 million in grain crops, while resistant pigweed leads to losses of US$ 96.6 million. Nanopesticides offer a promising solution to this scenario because they alter the interaction dynamics between the product and the target organism.
Since nanoparticles deliver the active ingredient more precisely and in optimized concentrations directly inside plant cells or pathogens, they can overcome some resistance mechanisms in these organisms. In addition, controlled release keeps the active substance at lethal levels for longer periods, reducing the need for repeated applications, which is one of the factors accelerating the selection of resistant populations in the field.
AgriBrasilis – You advocate for a “plant-informed nanodesign” approach. What does that mean?
Leonardo Fraceto – “Plant-informed nanodesign” (PIND) is a paradigm shift proposed by our research group. Historically, agricultural nanotechnology inherited the logic of the human health field: scientists first focused on developing the nanoparticle material in the laboratory (size, shape and composition) and only afterward tested its effectiveness in plants. The new approach reverses this order, proposing that the weed leaf itself should serve as the starting point for designing the technology.
Each plant species has unique characteristics, such as cuticle thickness, stomata density, the presence of trichomes and leaf roughness, factors that determine how a product is absorbed. By studying these biological properties through confocal microscopy, our research group has been developing tailor-made nanoparticles to exploit the preferred absorption pathways of specific species, such as pigweed or sourgrass. This results in much more targeted formulations that maximize efficiency and drastically reduce the required dose.
READ MORE: