Advancing Plant Nutrition With Mineral‐Doped Carbon Quantum Dots: A New Era of Nanofertilizers

Residual accumulation of conventional fertilizers in soil imposes severe environmental stress and amplifies long‐term economic burdens. The emergence of nanotechnology offers a paradigm shift with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) emerging as a particularly promising candidate. CQDs are quasi‐spherical, fluorescent carbon nanoparticles below 10 nm in size, renowned for their high‐water solubility, low toxicity, biocompatibility, and tunable surface chemistry. This review focuses on the recent and emerging advances of mineral‐doped carbon quantum dots (M‐CQDs) and their fundamental chemistry of synthesis and doping mechanisms. The complex interactions of M‐CQDs in plant systems are thoroughly outlined as follows (i) a targeted nutrient delivery system, (ii) a potent photosensitizer for enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, (iii) a robust elicitor of plant defense mechanisms, and (iv) a modulator of soil microbial communities. The current research landscape and future directions are outlined to unlock the full potential of M‐CQDs as smart, sustainable next‐generation quantum fertilizers.