Closed-loop enhancement of plant photosynthesis via biomass-derived carbon dots in biohybrids

Abstract

Improving photosynthetic efficiency is pivotal for biomanufacturing and agriculture. This work presents a closed-loop strategy using biomass-derived carbon dots to improve photosynthesis. The carbon dots act as both light converters and photosensitizers by converting solar irradiation to red light and supplying light-excited electrons into the photosynthetic electron transfer chain. Biohybrids incorporating the carbon dots with cyanobacteria or plants increased photosynthetic efficiency and showed potential for sustainable agriculture and solar-powered biomanufacturing.