Abstract
Engineered nanomaterials integrated into photosynthetic systems could pave the way to new, exciting avenues towards biohybrid systems and renewable energy sources. Here, a biohybrid plant developed through the integration of poly(3-hexylthiophene) nanoparticles (P3HT-NPs) in Arabidopsis thaliana plants is presented. P3HT-NPs were used to enhance plant solar radiation absorption, with a spectrophotometric profile matching chlorophyll absorbance. The P3HT-NP-engineered biohybrid plants showed a 45% increase in root length, corresponding to a relevant enhancement in biomass production of up to 17% compared to the control group. The presented biohybrid plant might open a new route for improving CO2 capture and oxygen production, underscoring the transformative potential of combining nanomaterials with plant biology, and paving the way for novel biohybrid nano-engineered renewable energy sources.