Overview

• Researchers at South China Agricultural University generated red, blue and green afterglow by injecting Echeveria 'Mebina' leaves with strontium aluminate phosphor microparticles, avoiding gene editing.
• After brief exposure to sunlight, treated succulents glow for up to about two hours as brightness fades, and leaves retained the ability to emit under stimulation for roughly 25 days.
• A demonstration wall of 56 modified plants produced enough light to discern text, images and a person at a distance of around 10 centimeters.
• To limit material breakdown in plant tissue, the team reported a chemical coating that acts as a protective barrier for the afterglow particles.
• Outside scientists caution that the light output is insufficient for functional lighting such as streetlights, and the authors say near‑term uses are decorative night lights as toxicity and ingestion risks are still being evaluated.