Nanomaterials and Nano-Biochar in Reducing Soil Stress : An Integrated Approach for Sustainable Agriculture

Soil deterioration, loss of productivity, and increases in toxic elements in soil induced by rapid industrial development and intensive cultivation are posing a serious threat to global food security and environmental sustainability. Nanotechnology has the capacity to expand current cultivation practices in a sustainable way. This new book details the potential this novel technology has to reduce soil pollution, enhance crop production, promote sustainable agriculture, and ultimately ensure food security. The book emphasizes how nano-biochar technology can be implemented to enhance microbial activities and other soil organism functionalities by applying or combining agricultural practices and soil health-improving amendments.

Exploring the most promising carbon-rich material, that is, biochar, and more effectively, nano-biochar, this book covers the characteristics, production and benefits of nano-enhanced biochar. The role of nanobiochar in metal stress reduction, for soil health improvement, as a soil conditioner, in reducing soil stress using integrated approaches, for improving nutrient use efficiency, in salinity stress management, for sustainable crop production, and for arsenic remediation are all considered in detail. Starting with an introduction to nano-biochar, the book goes on to detail its benefits, its conditioner-like effect on soil, its role in improving soil health and reducing soil stress, how it improves nutrient use capacity in soil and its ability to alleviate salinity, heavy metal stress, and arsenic remediation in crops.

With its comprehensive coverage of the important topic of biochar and nano-biochar, the book will prove useful to companies, students, professors, researchers, and scientists who are interested in the topic of soil stress management and sustainable agriculture as well as policymakers who can recommend novel agriculture amendments.