By Qudsia Bano ISLAMABAD, April 01 (INP-WealthPK): Agriculture entails growing crops and raising livestock to produce a variety of items that are utilized in everyday life. These aspects have long been vulnerable to harm from pests and diseases, resulting in a loss of revenue. As a result, one strategy to boost earnings is to limit the loss of crops and cattle due to natural disasters. Biosecurity has become increasingly important with progress in bioterrorism. There have been incidents where bacteria like anthrax and viruses like smallpox have been intentionally spread through cattle in order to infect the populace and cause harm. Furthermore, when agricultural goods or any live thing has to be transferred across international boundaries, biosecurity is required. Biosensors, in comparison to older approaches, may play a significant role in this sector because they allow rapid and specific detection. Using the SPR (Surface plasmon resonance) approach, a biosensor has been developed for detecting the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, which causes Asian rust or Soybean rust. The biological recognition ingredient in this example was an antibody against Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Herbicide, pesticide, and heavy metal concentrations are rising in agricultural regions, which is a cause for concern. Pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals can all be measured using biosensors in the soil and groundwater. Biosensors can also be used to predict the occurrence of soil illness, which is currently impossible to do with the current technology. The use of biosensors to diagnose soil illness biologically opens the door to more reliable prevention and purification of soil disease at an earlier stage. Dr. Shaukat Ali, Principal Scientific Officer at the National Institute for Genomics & Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB) Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), told WealthPK that it is critical to incorporate multi-faceted methodologies for long-term development of more effective biosensors that can be employed in a variety of applications, particularly in the field of climate-smart organic/biological agriculture for environmental sustainability. He said through the mitigation of pests and diseases that could influence agricultural production, smart monitoring using biosensors will ensure that biochemical and other types of contaminants are kept at bay from compromising the quality and safety of food. Nano-biosensors have the potential to transform agriculture by enabling the creation of next-generation diagnostic tools and methodologies. The development of a wide range of biosensors, such as electrochemical Nanosensors, optical Nanosensors, Nano-barcode technology, e-Nose and e-Tongue, wireless Nanosensors, and wireless sensor networks, has accelerated recently. These biosensors are extremely dependable, efficient, and cost-effective in dealing with a variety of food, agriculture, and environmental challenges. Dr. Shaukat Ali said Nano-biosensors and Nano-based systems had some unique qualities that make them vital in the food and agricultural industries, such as small size, portability, efficiency, specificity, sensitivity, and low cost. Furthermore, diagnostics companies and research institutions are working to create and improve biosensor technologies for the food and agricultural industries. As a result, Nano-biosensors have been developed, which could prove to be a highly useful tool for smart delivery systems, soil health, and disease control. Nano-biosensors can also detect seed viability, fruit shelf life, and the number of nutrients that plants require. They also play an important role in crop protection and promotion of the concept of sustainable agriculture. He said because of recent developments in antibody production, nanotechnology, and microfluidics, as well as the availability of improved antibody immobilization strategies, biosensor technology has the potential to outperform conventional or current detection techniques in terms of time, accuracy, and cost.