Crop protection
Nanotechnology may be applied to extend existing crop protection technologies to smaller scales. Many currently registered pesticide microemulsion formulations are already at nanoscale. Other encapsulation formulations are still at microscopic scale, but have great potential for being taken down to nanoscale. Moreover, nanoencapsulation would seem to offer many potential benefits in the application of conventional pesticides. Pesticide molecule behaves differently when it’s in a nanoscale emulsion than when it’s in a bulk solution; it’s simply that a higher proportion of the active molecules reach the destination where they do their job, where fewer are wasted. For example, it has the potential to allow for controlled delivery, in which the pesticide is only released in response to certain conditions, such as temperature or other environmental factors. One current manufacturer has developed microcapsules that either break open when they hit plant leaves or stay intact after impact for a period of time, thus allowing control over how quickly the pesticide is released to the plant leaves. Many scientists and researchers believe that reducing micro encapsulation down to nanoscale will enhance this benefit. A quick search on the Web gives a wide range of nanosilver-impregnated consumer products that are being marketed with "antimicrobial" and germicidal claims. Many of these products are marketed by non-traditional pesticide manufacturers and retailers.