@article{Huang2025, 
author = {Xia Huang and Hongyu Lei and Haijuan Cao and Xiaolian Xiong and Zhipeng Yu and Feng Jing and Yishan Ji and Nan Wang and Ying Jin and Hongbo Liu and Jian Sun and Mingquan Ding},
title = {Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived carbon dots confer resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Brassica napus L.},
year = {2025},
journal = {The Crop Journal},
volume = {13},
number = {6},
pages = {1968-1974},
keywords = {CDs, Metabolic homeostasis, Oxidative stress, Brassica napus L.},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1016/j.cj.2025.09.007},
doi = {10.1016/j.cj.2025.09.007},
abstract = {Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a fungus that causes a devastating fungal disease of rapeseed (Brassica napus), causes significant yield losses globally. Carbon dots (CDs), a class of carbon-based nanomaterials, have emerged as promising agents for plant disease management owing to low toxicity and biocompatibility. This study demonstrates the antifungal potential of Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived CDs in enhancing resistance to S. sclerotiorum in rapeseed. In vitro assays revealed concentration-dependent suppression of fungal growth by CDs. In planta applications triggered multifaceted defense responses evidenced by: (1) increased glucosinolate accumulation and redox homeostasis through ROS modulation and elevated superoxide dismutase/catalase activities; (2) transcriptional activation of ROS-scavenging systems and biosynthesis pathways for defensive metabolites (flavonoids and phenylpropanes); and (3) restoration of pathogen-impaired physiological processes, including photosynthetic recovery via Calvin cycle reactivation, energy metabolism through TCA cycle enhancement, and stress-responsive hormone signaling. Integrated multi-omics analyses further indicated that CDs establish a coordinated defense network by simultaneously optimizing metabolic homeostasis and amplifying disease resistance mechanisms. These findings position CDs as a novel eco-friendly strategy for biotic stress management, providing a sustainable approach to mitigate crop losses caused by fungal pathogens.}
}