Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Application Alters Stomatal Behavior in Boreal Shrubs Under Drought Conditions

Seedling establishment on reclaimed boreal sites is often constrained by drought and other abiotic stresses. Recent studies have shown that the use of carbon nanomaterials can modify the stress physiology of crops, but their utility for native boreal species is largely unknown. We tested whether carboxylic acid–functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) alter drought responses in three shrubs common to western Canada: Canadian buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis (L.) Nutt.), red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea L.), and low-bush cranberry (Viburnum edule).