Efficient enhancement of calcium content in apple by calcium-encapsulated carbon dots

Abstract

Efficient application of mineral nutrient supplements, such as calcium (Ca), is essential for ensuring crop yield and fruit quality. Calcium, however, usually has poor solubility, the tendency for calcification and element-antagonism, hindering its efficient absorption, which usually results in Ca deficiency in young leaves and fruits. Here, we developed Ca-encapsulated carbon dots (Ca-CDs) as nanofertilizers. These Ca-CDs have excellent solubility, great mobility, resistance to calcification, and no element-antagonism. Furthermore, this technique has an excellent capacity for being an efficient mode of Ca supplementation. Our results showed that the Ca-CDs promoted efficient Ca nutrition uptake and enhanced fruit Ca concentration. Furthermore, orchard applications proved that both foliar spraying and root irrigation of Ca-CDs could significantly enhance Ca content in apple fruit. This study informs the great agricultural application potential of nanomaterials in fruit calcium supplement.

Keywords

• calcium
• apple
• nanomaterials
• fertilizer