Plant enrichment effects of quantum dots in agroecosystems: a double-edged sword

Abstract

Quantum dots (QDs) are increasingly used in diverse fields, and thus they inevitably spread unintentionally into the farmland ecosystem through (i) environmental release, and through (ii) intentional application in fertilizers, pesticides or growth promoters in agriculture. Several studies have shown that QDs can enter plants through leaf and root absorption and translocate throughout the plant, potentially affecting plant growth and development. At appropriate concentrations, QDs have been found to stimulate plant growth, enhance nutritional quality, improve resilience to abiotic stressors, and facilitate disease management. However, inappropriate concentrations of QDs, particularly those containing heavy metals or functional moieties such as hydroxyl and amino groups, may exert adverse effects including oxidative stress, cellular damage, growth retardation, and genetic toxicity. Here, this review synthesizes the enrichment effect of QDs on plants in the farmland ecosystem from aspects such as the absorption pathway, transport mechanism, and its impact on plant growth, photosynthesis, stress resistance and yield. Accordingly, we propose future research should be based on this “double-edged effect” to develop agricultural applications of QDs. Focus on elucidating the specific uptake and transport mechanisms of different types of QDs in different plant species, refining the preparation methods and application technologies of QDs, and rigorously assessing their ecological risks, to provide a sound scientific basis for the safe and effective use of QDs in agroecosystems aligned with determining their full agricultural potential.