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This research investigates how carbon dots improve salt stress resistance in wheat.

February 8, 2026Plant and Soil1 citations

Green fluorescent carbon dots remodel soil microbial communities and regulate gene expression to enhance the salt stress adaptability of wheat

TZTiantian ZhengZhengzhou University QCQing ChiZhengzhou University YWYue WangZhengzhou University

Key Points

This research investigates how carbon dots improve salt stress resistance in wheat.
Wheat plants were treated with carbon dots and subjected to salt stress.
Analyzed wheat growth, physiological responses, and antioxidant enzyme activities.
Conducted transcriptome analysis to identify differentially expressed genes.
Performed soil microbial community analysis.
Under 150 mM NaCl, carbon dots increased wheat height by 11.3% and biomass by 47.7%.
Enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD and POD.
Regulated malondialdehyde levels and maintained Na⁺/K⁺ homeostasis.
Identified 374 and 872 differentially expressed genes in shoots and roots, respectively.
Reshaped the soil microbial community structure.

Abstract

The escalating soil salt stress poses a severe threat to food security, while existing mitigation strategies suffer from multiple limitations. As a low-toxicity nanomaterial, carbon dots (CDs) exhibit significant potential in enhancing plant stress resistance. This study focuses on the mechanism by which CDs alleviate salt stress in wheat through regulating wheat genes and soil microorganisms. Wheat plants grown in soil were subjected to salt stress and CDs treatment. Subsequently, plant samples, rhizosphere soil samples, and bulk soil samples were collected. The activities of plant antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and ion contents were determined. Additionally, transcriptome analysis and soil microbial community analysis were conducted. Under 150 mM NaCl stress, the application of CDs at a concentration of 15 mg/L significantly enhanced the growth performance and physiological stress tolerance of wheat. This enhancement was manifested by an increase in plant height (11.3%) and biomass (47.7%), as well as a substantial elevation in the activities of key antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). Meanwhile, CDs remarkably inhibited the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and effectively maintained Na⁺/K⁺ homeostasis. At the molecular level, transcriptome analysis revealed that CDs triggered extensive gene reprogramming, with 374 and 872 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in the shoots and roots, respectively. These DEGs were mainly enriched in pathways such as plant hormone signal transduction, glutathione metabolism, and metal ion binding. Furthermore, the application of CDs reshaped the structure of the soil microbial community, indicating that CDs enhance plant adaptability to salt stress through a multi-faceted mechanism. Carbon dots effectively maintain Na⁺/K⁺ homeostasis and thereby alleviate salt stress in wheat by synergistically activating the plant's antioxidant defense/growth regulation system and reshaping the rhizosphere microbiome.

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