Current Status of Nanotechnology Applications for Insect Pest Management

Insect pests play a critical role in sustainable food production. They cause damage to standing crops and infest grains during storage. Various chemicals are used to manage these insects and pests, which leads to insecticide resistance and residue development, resulting in environmental pollution. Therefore, innovations are essential in the present agricultural scenario for effectively managing insect pests. Nanotechnology and its advanced techniques in pesticide formulation are effective in providing better spread, deeper penetration, and efficient control over conventional methods of insect pest management. However, the toxicity of nano-pesticides to the environment and human health remains enigmatic. In this review, the present status of nanotechnology-based applications in managing insect pests for sustainable food production is discussed. Further, this review is useful for early career researchers and students to take up research in the field of Nanoscience.