Liquid Nano Urea

Liquid Nano Urea is an innovative agricultural input that utilizes nanotechnology to supply nitrogen to plants. In this article, you will learn definition, features, advantages and disadvantages of liquid nano urea. This article will help provide key insights for GS Paper-III Environment and Ecology section of UPSC IAS Exam.

Table of Content

• What is Nano Urea?       
• Features of a Liquid Nano Urea:
• How does a Liquid Nano Urea work?       
• Benefits of Nano Urea:  
• Liquid Nano Urea in India:           
• Conventional Urea vs Liquid Nano Urea 
• Criticism of the Nano Urea:         
• Conclusion         
• Frequently Asked Questions       
• Reference           

What is Nano Urea?

• Nano Urea is an innovative agricultural input that utilizes nanotechnology to supply nitrogen to plants.
  • This when in the form of liquid is known as “liquid nano urea”.
• Plants require nitrogen to produce protein and fertilizers like urea are used to enhance agricultural cropyields by providing this essential element.
  • Plants generally obtain it from bacteria residing in roots that converts atmospheric nitrogen.

Features of a Liquid Nano Urea:

• Nano Urea (liquid) differs from traditional urea as it has a particle size of approximately 20-50 nm.
• This results in a larger surface area (10,000 times greater than a 1 mm urea prill) and a higher number of particles (55,000 nitrogen particles compared to a 1 mm urea prill).
• The quantum effects of nanoparticles and the increased surface area make the nano particles in Nano Urea deliver more nitrogen to the plants.
• Liquid nano urea remains stable for up to a year and do not get clumped when exposed to moisture.

How does a Liquid Nano Urea work?

• Urea has high solubility in water and it reaches the lowest form of concentration when absorbed. 
• Nano fertilizers provide precise nutrient delivery to crops by being absorbed through the stomata, the pores present on the leaf’s surface and it can penetrate cell walls.
• Once inside the plant, nutrients are transported to various plant parts through phloem cells, plasmodesmata (with a diameter of 40 nm), or binds to carrier proteins through aquaporin, ion channels, and endocytosis.
• Foliar application of Nano urea liquid results in enhanced nitrogen absorption, improved physiological growth, increased grain production, and higher fruit quality.

Benefits of Nano Urea:

• Liquid Nano Urea is manufactured using an environmentally friendly production process that is energy efficient and has reduced carbon footprints.
• Liquid Nano Urea increases crop availability by over 80%, which then improves Nutrient Use efficiency.
• Applying Nano Urea to crops through foliar fertilization boosts crop productivity by approximately 8%, leading to positive effects on soil, air, water, and farmers’ profitability.
  • Foliar fertilization is the application of fertilization via spraying nutrients to plant leaves and stems and their absorption at those sites.
• Liquid Nano Urea is a sustainable solution for farmers in their pursuit of smart agriculture and addressing climate change.
• Nano Urea reduces environmental impact by minimizing nutrient loss from agricultural fields, such as leaching and gaseous emissions, which previously caused environmental pollution and climate change.
• Nano urea can act as a vital component of 4R nutrient stewardship, enabling precise and sustainable agricultural practices.
• Nano urea improves photosynthetic activity, seedling growth, rate of seed germination, nitrogen metabolism, and carbohydrate and protein synthesis.
• Nano urea reduces soil toxicity, increases plant photosynthesis, reducess environmental pollution and decreases frequency of application. 

Liquid Nano Urea in India:

• The Indian Farmers and Fertiliser Cooperative’s (IFFCO) Nano Urea (liquid) is world’s first Nanofertilizer which has been notified by Fertilizer Control Order (FCO, 1985), Government of India.
• Nano Urea contains 4.0 % total nitrogen, with nitrogen analogues or forms encapsulated on an organic matrix.

Conventional Urea vs Nano Urea

Criticism of the Nano Urea:

• The price of purchasing and spraying the ‘liquid nano urea’ is higher than using regular urea.
• Activity of plants when exposed to nano particles are yet not clear or are still in research stage.
• There is still a lack of a nano-fertiliser risk management system in India.
• There is still a lack of production and availability of Nano Urea in required quantities across the nation.
• There is a lack of standardisation in its formulation process.
  • This gives different results of the same fertiliser under different climatic conditions.

Conclusion

Nano urea has emerged as a ground-breaking innovation in the field of agricultural fertilizers, that offers immense benefits for sustainable farming practices. The adoption of nano urea can lead to enhancement of agricultural productivity, promotion of sustainable farming practices, and contribution towards global efforts towards food security and environmental conservation.

Ref: Source-1

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)