Sustainable agriculture is crucial for meeting the growing global food demand. With the pressure of climate change, resource depletion, and the need for increased agricultural productivity, innovative approaches are essential. Nanotechnology is an emerging technology in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Despite its promising benefits, the safe implementation of nanotechnology in agriculture requires careful consideration of potential health and environmental risks. However, there is a lack of comprehensive documentation on the application, potential and limitations of nanotechnology in the field of agriculture. To address this gap, a desk research approach was used by utilizing peer-reviewed electronic databases like PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Science Direct for relevant articles. Out of 157 initially identified articles, 85 were deemed pertinent, focusing primarily on potential nanotechnology in smart agricultural systems. Taking into account research findings worldwide, we found significant improvements with nanotechnology over traditional methods which underscores the practical benefits of nanotechnology, including increased crop yields, efficient resource use, and reduced environmental footprint. The objective of this systematic review is to explore the nexus between nanotechnology and agricultural systems, highlighting its potential to enhance productivity, sustainability, and resilience and to inform researchers, practitioners, and policymakers about the transformative impact of nanotechnology on sustainable agriculture and underscores the need for further research to address safety concerns and maximize its potential for agricultural advancement.

Mono-cropping in the farming system decline in farm profit, climate change, and food insecurity are some of the major concerns that lead to unsustainability in the agricultural production system in the Eastern Gangetic Plains. A study was conducted for three years from June 2019 to June 2022 at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar, India, to assess the profitable and best rice-based cropping system through crop diversification for sustainable agriculture. Ten different cropping sequences were exploited using randomised block design and replicated thrice, with the system productivity ranging from 8.70 to 24.95 t ha⁻¹ under the different cropping sequences. The system productivity was increased by 187% and profitability by 299.52% in the maize − Cole crops − sesame cropping system over the rice − wheat cropping system. A diversified cropping system with black gram − maize + vegetable pea − sesbania possessed significantly more soil organic carbon (0.49%), bacterial population (47.85 × 10⁶ cfu/g soil), azotobacter population (42.96 × 10⁴ cfu/g soil), phosphate solubilising bacteria (20.72 × 10⁶ cfu/g soil), dehydrogenase activity (4.39 µg TPF/g/h), fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity (17.28 µg fluorescein/g/h) and acid phosphatase activity (451.46 µg pNP/g/h), as well as urease activity (47.21 µg NH₄⁺/g/h), relative to the rice–wheat cropping system. Therefore, the adoption of vegetables and legumes as diversified crops are viable options for enhancing productivity, profitability and soil health in the EGPs.

A field experiment was conducted during the spring seasons of 201012 at Sugarcane Research Institute, Bihar, Pusa (Samastipur), to investigate the effect of planting methods (conventional, paired row and furrow-irri- gated raised bed system) and irrigation regimes [Irrigation water : cumulative pan evaporation (IW: CPE) ratios of 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00] on productivity and water-use efficiency of sugarcane ( Saccharum sp. hybrid complex). Num- ber of millable canes increased by 12.4% in conventional method, followed by 7.2% in paired row over furrow-irri- gated raised bed system (FIRBS) respectively. Cane yield obtained under conventional method of planting was higher over paired row and FIRBS by 5.7 and 12.9% respectively. The water requirement, water-use efficiency and water productivity were higher under conventional method followed by paired row and FIRBS planting. Conven- tional method of planting fetched significantly higher net returns ( 142.4 103/ha) followed by paired row ( 136.4 103/ha) and FIRBS ( 112.5 103/ha). Significantly higher benefit : cost ratio was recorded in paired row planting (3.21) than FIRBS planting (2.68) whereas it remained at par with conventional method (3.13) of planting. Among the irrigation regimes, irrigation at an IW: CPE ratio 1.00 significantly enhanced all the growth and yield-attributing characters. Though the differences between IW: CPE ratios of 1.00 and 0.75 and 0.75 and 0.50 were not signifi- cant. However, crop irrigated at an IW: CPE ratio of 1.00 gave significantly higher number of millable canes (110 103/ha) and cane yield (98.0 t/ha) being at par with an IW: CPE ratio of 0.75 and both the treatments showed supe- riority over that of an IW: CPE ratio of 0.50. Sucrose content in juice was not influenced significantly due to differ- ent irrigation regimes. Crop irrigated with an IW: CPE ratio 1.00 showed the maximum values of water requirement, water-use efficiency and water productivity. Net return increased markedly with increase in irrigation regimes from an IW: CPE ratio of 0.50 to 1.00. Irrigation at 0.75 and 1.00 IW: CPE ratio increased the net returns by 29.0 and 39.5% over that with the 0.50 respectively. However, an IW: CPE ratio of 1.00 (3.24) being at par with that of 0.75 (3.11) gave significantly higher benefit: cost ratio than that of 0.50.