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Nano-biofertilizers: A promising technology for sustainable soil fertility, soil health, and environmental protection

Hayyawi W. A. Al-Juthery1 ,  Rand A. H. G. Al-Taee2 ,  Ali S. Alhasan1 ,  Diaa F. Hassan3* ,  Nisreen A. A. Al-Jassani4 ,  Raid Shaalan Jarallah1
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1 Department of Soil and Water Resources, College of Agriculture, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Al Diwaniyah, Qadisiyyah, Iraq
2 Department of Soil and Water Resources, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
3 Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Al-Qasim Green University, Al-Qasim, Babylon, Iraq
4 Department of Soil and Water Resources, College of Education for Girls, University of Kufa, Kufa, Najaf, Iraq
AJWEP, 025160123 https://doi.org/10.36922/AJWEP025160123
Received: 19 April 2025 | Revised: 26 May 2025 | Accepted: 28 May 2025 | Published online: 24 June 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

The rapidly increasing global demand for food security urgently calls for agricultural technologies that can boost productivity without contributing to environmental degradation. A group of fertilizers that combines nanotechnology with beneficial microorganisms – known as nano-biofertilizers – has shown tremendous potential to enhance plant growth, increase yields, and improve soil health. Controlled nutrient release, enhanced microbial activities, and improved nutrient-use efficiency are key benefits of these new fertilizers, collectively leading to higher crop productivity with reduced environmental impact. These advantages contribute to sustainable agriculture by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, surface soil degradation, nutrient leaching, and greenhouse gas emissions. Recent research findings have also highlighted their role in increasing plant resilience to abiotic stress factors, enhancing soil microbial diversity, and supporting ecological balance. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted roles of nano-biofertilizers in modern agriculture, focusing on their contributions to plant physiology, soil health, environmental sustainability, and long-term agricultural productivity. Through empirical integration, we argue that nano-biofertilizers could be a transformative tool in advancing sustainable farming and achieving global environmental conservation goals.

Keywords
Fertilizer innovation
Microbial bioinoculant
Plant growth and yield
Soil health and sustainability
Plant-microbe interaction
Nutrient efficiency
Microbial activity
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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