Foliar Application of Metallic Nanoparticles on Crops Under Field Conditions

Various industries, including agriculture, are increasingly interested in inorganic nanomaterials. Their smaller size (<100 nm) and tunability give rise to different chemical, physical, and biological properties compared with conventionally applied products. The study of the nanoworld with its unexplored processes and scientific challenges led to a new generation of more beneficial and efficient tools such as nanofertilizer and growth enhancers with either direct or gradual and well-regulated effects. The novelty of nanoparticles consists mainly in the reduction of inputs with the same function, for example, fertilizers in crop production, while also improving food quality, safety within the food chain, and the overall environmental impact. The aim of this chapter includes (1) effects of foliar application of engineered nanoparticles (mainly metallic) as new generation agrochemicals on plant production with (2) description of interactions in nanoparticle-plant systems, specifically their quantitative and qualitative nutritional parameters, (3) analysis of transfer and interaction of nanoparticles in leaves, and (4) palynological analysis in the context of impact on pollen quality to quantify distribution, transport, bioavailability, and potential toxicity of nanoparticles or their residues in field experimental setups.