Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Production of Organic Nano-Fertilizer and Nano-Pesticide from Locally Sourced Plant Leaves and Seeds (Moringa/Neem)

Cheren Terfa Jeremiah, Abana Nnamdi Stanislas

Abstract

This work aims at producing organic nano-fertilizer and nano-pesticide using agro-physics principles. Moringa leaves are a good source of fertilizer due to their rich mineral content, and neem leaves contain azadirachtin, a compound toxic to most crop pests. We leveraged the potential combination of neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), pepper seeds, onion bulb, and garlic cloves for pesticide production, while moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera), comfrey leaves, and pumpkin leaves were used for fertilizer production. The application of nanotechnology was to increase the surface area of nutrients for easier absorption by plants. Nano-fertilizers have an increased surface area-to-volume ratio, which makes them easier for plants to absorb. Nano- nutrients can lead to increased plant growth and crop yields compared to conventional fertilizers. Our mission is to provide a sustainable solution for food security and reduce the hazardous impacts of synthetic agrochemicals on the environment and human health. Benue State of Nigeria, acronymically referred to as “The Food Basket of the Nation,” is known for massive annual agricultural productions. About 80% of farmers in Benue State use aluminum phosphate tablets for pest control, 60% of them use dichlorvos, 35% use DDT, and about 5–15% use endosulfan, gamalin, carbofuran, carbendazim, and permethrin. The study also revealed that many other restricted pesticides are still in use within the state, which is of great concern. This research provides environmentally friendly and safe fertilizers and pesticides from natural, non- harmful, cheap, and readily available raw materials.

References

Abdel-Ghaffar, F., Al-Quraishy, S., & Mehlhorn, H. (2015). Potential of natural compounds to control blood-feeding insects. Parasitology Research, 114(3), 989–999. Agbo, J. A., & Terver, A. (2020). Pesticide usage patterns among farmers in Benue State. Nigerian Journal of Agriculture and Food Science, 8(2), 122–130. Ahmed, S., Ahmad, M., Swami, B. L., & Ikram, S. (2016). A review on plants extract mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles for antimicrobial applications. Journal of Advanced Research, 7(1), 17–28. Ali, S., Rizwan, M., Noureen, S., Anwar, H., & Hussain, A. (2021). Moringa oleifera as a biofertilizer. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28, 32823–32835. Anjorin, T. S., Ikokoh, P., & Okolo, S. (2010). Mineral composition of Moringa oleifera leaves, pods and seeds from two regions in Abuja, Nigeria. *International Journal of Agricultural and Biology, 12(3), 431–434. Bhattacharyya, A., Bhaumik, A., & Rani, P. U. (2016). Nano-biotechnology: Green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles. Current Science, 110(3), 457–461. Chaudhary, S. A., & Singh, A. (2006). Neem for pest control: A review. Agricultural Review, 27(4), 288–294. Chen, H., & Yada, R. (2011). Nanotechnologies in agriculture: New tools for sustainable development. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 22(11), 585–594. DeRosa, M. C., Monreal, C., Schnitzer, M., Walsh, R., & Sultan, Y. (2010). Nanotechnology in fertilizers. Nature Nanotechnology, 5, 91. Duhan, J. S., Kumar, R., Kumar N., & Kaur, P. (2017). Nanotechnology: The new perspective in precsion agriculture. Biotechnology Reports, 15, 11–23. FAO. (2021). Pesticide use in developing countries and sustainable alternatives. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Fraceto, L. F., Grillo, R., de Medeiros, G. A., Scognamiglio, V., Rea, G., & Bartolucci, C. (2016). Nanotechnology in agriculture: Which innovation potential does it have? Frontiers in Environmental Science, 4,20. Gopalakrishnan, L., Doriya, K., & Kumar, D. S. (2016). Moringa oleifera: A review on nutritive importance and its medicinal application. Food Science and Human Wellness, 5(2), 49– Huang, J., Li, Q., Sun, D., Lu, Y., Su, Y., & Yang, X. (2007). Biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles by novel sundried Cinnamomum camphora leaf. Nanotechnology, 18(10), Isman, M. B. (2006). Botanical insecticides, deterrents, and repellents in modern agriculture and an increasingly regulated world. Annual Review of Entomology, 51, 45–66. Kah, M., Beulke, S., Tiede, K., & Hofmann, T. (2018). Nanopesticides: State of knowledge, environmental fate, and exposure modeling. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 48(2), 182–217. Kookana, R. S., Boxall, A. B., Reeves, P. T., Ashauer, R., Beulke, S., Chaudhry, Q., & Fernandes, T. F. (2014). Nanopesticides: Guiding principles for regulatory evaluation of environmental risks. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 62(19), 4227–4240. Liu, X., Chen, Y., Fan, J., & Li, Y. (2018). Composting of agricultural wastes using microbial inoculants: A review. Waste Management, 79, 450–461. Luque de Castro, M. D., & Priego-Capote, F. (2010). Soxhlet extraction: Past and present panacea. Journal of Chromatography A, 1217(16), 2383–2389. Nair, R., Varghese, S. H., Nair, B. G., Maekawa, T., Yoshida, Y., & Kumar, D. S. (2010). Nanoparticulate material delivery to plants. Plant Science, 179(3), 154–163. Ngakou, A. (2019). Green synthesis of nanoparticles for sustainable agriculture. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 13(2), 1093–1112. Parisi, C., Vigani, M., & Rodríguez-Cerezo, E. (2015). Agricultural nanotechnologies: What are the current possibilities? Nano Today, 10(2), 124–127. Prasad, R., Bhattacharyya, A., & Nguyen, Q. D. (2014). Nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture: Present concerns and future aspects. African Journal of Biotechnology, 13(6), 705–713. Rai, M., Yadav, A., & Gade, A. (2008). Silver nanoparticles as a new generation of antimicrobials. Biotechnology Advances, 27(1), 76–83. Sadiq, I. M., Khan, R. M., & Bano, A. (2021). Nanotechnology and its role in sustainable agriculture. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 44(10), 1475–1489. Sekhon, B. S. (2014). Nanotechnology in agri-food production: An overview. Nanotechnology, Science and Applications, 7, 31–53. Suresh, B., & Kamath, R. (2003). Azadirachta indica: A biopesticide for sustainable agriculture. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 73(7), 367–370. Suresh, B., & Kamath, R. (2005). Neem for plant protection. Indian Journal of Plant Protection, 33(1), 12–15. Yogendra, K. N., Shilpa, A., & Shetty, H. S. (2021). Nanofertilizers and their application in modern agriculture. Journal of Nanoscience and Technology, 7(2), 122–131. Zhang, H., Chen, G., & Bahnemann, D. W. (2015). Nanotechnology in agriculture: A review. Environmental Science: Nano, 2(5), 459–478.

More Articles from RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PURE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Advances In NLP-Driven Analytics for Automated Detection of Regulatory Liabilities in High-Volume Contracts

Author: Ngonadi Uchechi, Michael Ominyi, Ngozi Samuel Uzougbo, Blessing Chika Jones,, USA

Resilient Test Automation Framework for Microservices: Addressing Integration, Scalability, and Reliability

Author: Awonowo Olusegun Oriyomi,, Anrinnle Qowiu Olaoluwa, Lawal Ahmed Oladimeji, Babayemi Temitayo Matthew, Azubuike Marvelous Onyedikachukwu, Olomu Ayomide Babatunde, Omitogun Ayomide Elijah