Carbon dots and beneficial soil microorganisms in agriculture in the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract

Over recent decades, Brazilian agriculture has progressively shifted from coastal areas to central Brazil. In this context, the Cerrado has become a major agricultural frontier, characterized by low-fertility, highly weathered oxidic soils, which have driven extensive research on soil chemical correction. Parallel to this, significant efforts have focused on the development of microbiological inputs, both to enhance nutrient availability to plants and to mitigate diseases and abiotic stresses. More recently, plant growth stimulants such as carbon dots have emerged as a promising innovation. These nanoparticles have demonstrated potential to reduce plant water demand while improving productivity and photosynthetic efficiency. The combined application of carbon dots and plant growth-promoting microorganisms represents a novel and promising avenue for advancing sustainable agriculture in the Brazilian Cerrado.

The speakers

Prof. Jader Busato is an agronomist with a Master’s and PhD in Soil Sciences and an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (FAV), University of Brasilia. His research focuses on the use of biological inputs in agricultural crops and reforestation systems in the Brazilian Cerrado. In recent years, his work has concentrated on the validation of materials capable of modulating nutrient uptake and enhancing plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. In particular, he has investigated plant responses to the application of carbon dot nanoparticles. Prof. Busato has published more than 50 articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals and is the inventor of a patented technology that has been commercialized in several countries worldwide.

Prof. Alessandra Monteiro de Paula is an agronomist with a Master’s and PhD in Soil Sciences and an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (FAV), University of Brasilia. Her research focuses on environmental microbiology and soil microbiology, with particular emphasis on plant-microorganism interactions, soil quality, the environmental impacts of waste, and microbial enrichment in composting and vermicomposting processes. She has published more than 30 articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals.