Journal of Agronomy and Field Innovations

Background: Global cereal production faces mounting pressure from population growth, soil degradation, and climate variability, while conventional fertilizer application suffers from low nutrient use efficiency, nutrient leaching, and adverse environmental consequences such as eutrophication and greenhouse gas emission.
Objective: This study presents the design, synthesis, and agronomic evaluation of a controlled-release nano-fertilizer (CRNF) system engineered to improve nutrient use efficiency and productivity in cereal crops while minimizing environmental losses.
Methods: Core-shell nanoparticles encapsulating nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients within a biodegradable polymeric shell were synthesized and characterized using TEM, SEM, DLS, XRD, FTIR, zeta potential, BET surface area, and UV-Visible spectroscopy. A greenhouse trial employing a Randomized Complete Block Design was conducted on wheat (Triticum aestivum), comparing CRNF treatments against conventional and slow-release fertilizers across replicated plots, with growth, physiological, yield, nutrient uptake, and environmental indicators statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's HSD.
Results: The CRNF system exhibited a mean particle size of 45-120 nm, nutrient loading efficiency of 78-92%, and a sustained moisture-responsive release profile extending up to 75 days. Compared with conventional fertilizer, CRNF-treated plants recorded significantly higher chlorophyll content, root and shoot biomass, grain yield (18-30% increase), and nutrient use efficiency (up to 90%), alongside a marked reduction in nutrient leaching and estimated nitrous oxide emissions.
Conclusion: Controlled-release nano-fertilizer systems offer a technically viable and environmentally sustainable strategy for enhancing nutrient delivery precision in cereal production, supporting climate-smart agriculture and precision farming, though large-scale field validation and regulatory clarity remain necessary before commercialization.