Aqueous Dispersions of Fullerene C60 and Fullerene Mixtures as Biopreparations for Stimulation of Plant Growth

The growth-stimulating effect of biopreparations based on aqueous dispersions, or colloidal solutions, of fullerene C60, including fullerene-containing substances obtained from intermediate product of the fullerene C60 production process (fullerene extract and fullerene soot), on plants as a result of seed treatment for agricultural crops has been studied. In laboratory and field experiments, the growth-stimulating effect was demonstrated using examples of agricultural crops that are important in the food industry, such as the spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties “Lada” and “Voevoda”, the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety “Rubezhnaya”, the spring oats (Avena sativa L.) variety “Skakun”, the spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) variety “Veresk”, the winter rye (Secale cereale L.) variety “Orlovskaya”, the pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) varieties “Ulybka” and “Muskatnaya”, and the pea (Pisum sativum L.) variety “Pharaoh”, due to the treatment (soaking) of seeds (both fresh and old (stale) or with low germination capacity) in the presence of fullerene-containing aqueous dispersions. In field experiments using the example of the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety “Rubezhnaya”, an increase in the yield and vitality of plants and an increase in the weight and number of grains in an ear as result of pre-sowing treatment (soaking) of seeds in the presence of fullerene-containing aqueous dispersions were demonstrated. Experiments were also carried out on the example of the cultivated tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) variety “Xhanti NN”, on the study of antiviral activity exerted by an aqueous dispersion of C60 fullerene against the tobacco mosaic virus. In the current research, within the framework of a promising biotechnological approach proposed for agricultural production, the effectiveness, versatility, and reproducibility of the growth-stimulating effect have been proven on worthy examples of seed material when treated with environmentally friendly biopreparations, which are aqueous dispersions of fulle-rene-containing compounds.