Nano precision agriculture integrating nanotechnology, smart sensors, and AI for sustainable and efficient farming

Modern agriculture faces the challenge of boosting crop yields while reducing environmental harm, input waste, and resource inefficiency. In this context, Nano Precision Agriculture (NPA) has arisen as an advanced farming method that combines nanotechnology, precise monitoring, and artificial intelligence to enable targeted, data-driven crop management. This review offers a detailed analysis of nano-enabled agricultural systems, focusing on how nanosensors, nano-fertilisers, nano-pesticides, nano-herbicides, wireless sensor networks, Internet of Things platforms, and AI-based decision-support tools work together. The paper explores the role of nanoscale technologies enhance the detection of soil nutrients, plant stress signals, pathogens, and environmental changes at high spatial and temporal resolution, supporting timely and localised interventions. It also discusses the role of machine learning and intelligent analytics transform real-time sensor data into practical recommendations for irrigation, nutrient application, pest control, and crop health management. Beyond technological advances, the review critically examines key challenges, including nanotoxicity concerns, regulatory gaps, economic feasibility, interoperability issues, and adoption hurdles, especially in resource-limited farming systems. Overall, the review emphasises that the true promise of nano-precision agriculture lies in its ability to develop an integrated sense-analyse-respond system for sustainable, resilient, and resource-efficient farming. • Nanocarriers release nutrients on-demand, enhancing uptake and reducing waste • IoT sensors feed AI analytics with cell-level data, boosting yield and cutting inputs • Nano-tech agricultural inputs cut ~40–90% and boost yields up to +22% • Smart nano-patches cut runoff 90% and boost yields 15% • Trade-offs include waste, cost, and uneven regulationss