Demonstrates improved photosynthetic efficiency in plants using carbon nanomaterials, suggesting new agricultural applications.
Boosting the photosynthetic efficiency remains a critical challenge for sustainable crop productivity. In this study, the design, synthesis, and functional evaluation of two carbon-based nanomaterials are reported: a fluorescent carbon nanoassembly (Compound 1) derived from citric acid and urea, and a cerium-incorporated variant (Compound 2) incorporating redox-active cerium oxide domains. Comprehensive characterization confirmed the formation of nanostructured materials with tunable optical properties, surface functionalities, and crystalline features. Both compounds exhibited strong UV-A absorbance and blue photoluminescence, with Compound 2 showing enhanced emission and additional red-shifted features due to cerium integration. Greenhouse trials usingRaphanus sativus as a model plant revealed significant improvements in biomass, pigment concentration, and ascorbic acid levels in the treated plants. Confocal microscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry confirmed nanoparticle uptake and translocation, while flow cytometry revealed altered chloroplast fluorescence, supporting functional interaction at the organelle level. Together, these results establish carbon-based nanobionics as a promising platform for photonic enhancement of photosynthesis, offering new opportunities for advanced bioagricultural applications.
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Kotoulas et al. (2026) studied this question.
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