Diverse Applications of Carbon Dots

Carbon dots (CDs) are emerging carbon-based nanomaterials with advantages including small size, excellent optical properties, tunable surface functionalities, and high biocompatibility attributes, making them highly promising for diverse agricultural applications. In recent years, the interaction mechanisms and molecular regulatory pathways between CDs and crops, soils, and microorganisms have been increasingly revealed. This review summarizes the multifunctional roles of CDs in agriculture. CDs enhance crop productivity by promoting seed germination, improving photosynthesis and nutrient uptake, and increasing stress tolerance. Their unique fluorescence enables high-sensitivity detection of pesticides and heavy metals for food safety. As efficient nonviral nanocarriers, CDs overcome limitations of traditional transformation and offer new tools for targeted gene delivery. This review places special emphasis on the chemical mechanisms of CDs applications, with the goal of promoting technological innovation and sustainable development in agriculture, thereby ultimately contributing to a more efficient, safe, and sustainable global food production system.