Photoconversion Covers Based on CdSe/CdS-ZnS Quantum Dots Improve Photosynthetic Performance and Vegetative Growth of Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum)

The effect of light spectrum conversion using photoconversion covers (PCCs) containing CdSe/CdS-ZnS quantum dots (PCC-QDs) on the growth and photosynthesis of tomato plants was studied. Luminophore-free covers and covers containing rhodamine B as a luminophore (PCC-RB) were used as reference covers. The obtained covers had a luminescence maximum in the red region (618 nm for PCC-QDs and 615 nm for PCC-RBs). It was shown that both types of PCC promoted plant growth, with PCC-QDs increasing leaf number by 28% and chlorophyll content by 6%, while PCC-RB enhanced stem length (17%) and leaf number (23%), with no effect on chlorophyll content after a reduction in the thermal dissipation of absorbed light energy and intensifying electron transfer in the photosynthetic electron transport chain, which was accompanied by a 40–50% increase in the hydrogen peroxide content in plant tissues and a 2–3-fold increase in ascorbate peroxidase activity. Light-induced activation of transpiration in PCC plants was found to occur within 1–2 min, while control plants exhibited greater stomatal inertia with a 4–5 min delay in response to light. It is assumed that changes in the light spectrum induced by PCCs led to the optimization of electron transport in chloroplasts, triggering H2O2-mediated activation of gas exchange in leaves.