Applications of Controlled Release Systems for Fungicides, Herbicides, Acaricides, Nutrients, and Plant Growth Hormones: A Review

Many of the advances made in agriculture have been due in large part to the development of compounds for the control of weeds and pests, as well as increased productivity achieved with the aid of fertilizers. This review paper presents an overview of the use of controlled release systems for compound classes including fungicides, herbicides, acaricides, nutrients, and plant growth hormones. For each of these categories, the main aspects of the development of controlled release systems are presented, together with a critical analysis of the current state of the art. The final section draws conclusions concerning the future perspectives of controlled release systems for compounds with applications in agriculture. As conclusions, although progress has been made, and the results obtained have been promising, much further work remains to be done to enable controlled release systems to fulfill expectations and contribute to the increased global agricultural productivity required to satisfy the food requirements of a growing population, while preventing unnecessary damage to the wider environment.