Molecular heaters: a green route to boosting crop yields?

Abstract

Food production and food security are fast becoming some of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. We are developing environmentally responsible molecular heaters to help boost crop growth and expand geographic areas capable of supporting growth. Sinapic diacid (SDA) is such a molecule, that can act as a light-to-heat agent, converting solar energy into heat delivered to the plant. We have characterised the photophysical properties of SDA extensively, using a combination of steady-state and ultrafast laser spectroscopy techniques complemented with high-level computational studies, and demonstrated both its resilience to prolonged solar irradiation and light-to-heat capabilities. The results we present here illustrate the untapped potential of molecular heaters such as SDA to boost plant yields in existing growing regions and to expand growth into regions hitherto considered too cold for crop growth.