Plant impact properties of carboxylated fullerene C60[C(COOH)2]3

Abstract Carboxylated light fullerenes, in particular, tris-malonate of fullerene C60 (C60[C(COOH)2]3, CF), is of great interest for studying its effect on plants, primarily as a source of malonate, a substance with high biological activity, and possible means of improving crop yield and its quality. Impact of water-soluble carboxylated light fullerene derivatives on physiological plant state is not studied enough. The present paper is devoted to the study of the carboxylated fullerene C60[C(COOH)2]3 influence on the physiological state, growth and netto productivity of salad, tomatoes, spring barley, and wheat in the initial stages of seed germination and in the vegetative period of plants development due to the following reasons: an increase in the absorption and assimilation capacity of roots and aerial parts of plants; increased absorption of moisture by plants, and other substances in the plant aerial organs; the entering into the plants and distributing C60[C(COOH)2]3 in the organs, containing physiologically active organic compounds, potentially involved in cyclic processes of plants catabolism; optimising the antioxidant system function. Our study shows that, according to the complex of estimated indicators of seed response and seedling condition, the C60[C(COOH)2]3 solutions in the concentration range CCF = 0.001–0.1 mg•dm−3 have a positive effect on test plants.