Scientists Decode Plant Signals to Detect Stress

Quick Summary:

• researchers at the American Chemical Society (ACS) have developed a new “plant-wearable device” to detect early signs of stress in plants caused by environmental factors like drought, pests, or pathogens.
• The device uses an electromagnetic sensor with microneedles coated in a chitosan-based hydrogel to detect hydrogen peroxide-a biochemical marker of plant stress.
• Hydrogen peroxide signals acute stress and activates defense mechanisms in plants; prolonged exposure can lead to plant death.
• In experiments with tobacco and soybean plants exposed to a bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas syringae), the wearable efficiently identified stress through elevated hydrogen peroxide levels measured as electrical currents.
• Sensors are reusable up to nine times, cost less than $1 per test, and provide results in under a minute. Researchers aim to scale this technology for larger crops globally.
• This innovation aligns with broader agricultural trends incorporating AI-enabled monitoring systems and autonomous robots for crop care. Global annual losses from pests and diseases account for 20-30% of crop production (~$220 billion).

Images:

1. !Plant patches
2. !Microneedle sensors
3. !PopSci Article Link