Skip to content
Nutrition — Environment — Health — Climate — Campus — health-and-wellness — Mental — Engineering — Resilience — Materials

Diagnosing plant dehydration with a novel approach

Covalent organic framework sensors, a novel innovation, identify pH shifts in live vegetation. This cutting-edge technology offers an early alert for plant drought stress, empowering detection up to 48 hours ahead of conventional methods.

,   and  Administrator
3 min read
Covalent Organic Framework sensors, a groundbreaking invention, monitor pH fluctuations in plants,...
Covalent Organic Framework sensors, a groundbreaking invention, monitor pH fluctuations in plants, offering an early alert for drought stress in vegetation as much as 48 hours ahead of conventional methods.

Diagnosing plant dehydration with a novel approach

Curious about whether your plants are thirsty or not? Farmers and garden enthusiasts might soon have a solution, thanks to researchers at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART). They've cooked up a new sensor that can detect real-time pH changes in living plants – an indicator of drought stress.

This groundbreaking innovation comes from the Disruptive and Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) research group at SMART. In collaboration with Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory and MIT, they've created a nifty combo: covalent organic framework (COF) sensors integrated into silk fibroin (SF) microneedles. These clever sensors can detect a drop in acidity in plant xylem tissues up to 48 hours before traditional methods, offering an early warning system for drought stress.

While drought may seem like just a summer bore to us, it's a significant stressor for plants. It messes with essential metabolic pathways, shrinks leaves, stunts stem growth, and stops roots in their tracks. Over time, this could lead plants to wilt, turning colors, and eventually die. As farming challenges, like those brought on by climate change and environmental conditions, continue to mount, farmers often find themselves unable to take preventive action or spot signs of stress early for timely interventions.

"These sensors are a game-changer," says Professor Michael Strano, co-author of the project. "They're easy to attach to plants and provide simple readings using basic instrumentation, making powerful analysis accessible to everyone, from scientists to farmers."

So what's the big deal about these COFs? They're made of organic molecules (containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen) arranged in crystal-like structures that change color based on pH levels. Since drought stress equals pH level changes in plant tissues, this color-changing magic allows for early detection of drought stress through real-time monitoring of pH levels in plant xylem tissues. This could help farmers boost crop production and yields amidst changing climate patterns.

The COF-silk sensors also tackle a previous challenge for COF-based sensors, which couldn't interact with biological tissues. With their innovative technology, SMART scientists are making agriculture more precise and contributing to global food security efforts.

"The integration of nanosensors and biomaterials makes it possible to measure key parameters of plant fluids, like pH, and monitor plant health more accurately," points out Professor Benedetto Marelli, another principal investigator.

Recently, DiSTAP researchers published a paper in Nature Communications about their work, demonstrating real-time pH detection in plant tissues. The icing on the cake? This method allows for in-vivo 3D mapping of pH levels using only a smartphone camera. Now that's impressive!

While these sensors are still in their nascent stages, researchers are excited about future possibilities. They plan to extend the technology beyond pH detection, focusing on sensing a diverse range of biologically relevant compounds like plant hormones and metabolites. The future of farming is looking greener than ever!

  1. This new sensor, developed by researchers at SMART, could revolutionize the health-and-wellness sector, not just for plants, but possibly for human mental health as well, given its potential applications.
  2. As researchers delve deeper into the field of science, they are exploring ways to apply the same technology to other facets of our environment, such as monitoring climate resilience in various ecosystems.
  3. The potential of this technology extends beyond agriculture, as it could be used in the field of engineering, particularly in the development of climate-resilient materials for infrastructure.
  4. The campus community may also find value in this innovation, as it pertains to fitness-and-exercise and nutrition, helping individuals monitor their body's pH balance as an indicator of overall health.
  5. Furthermore, the determination of pH levels in plant tissues could be a significant contribution to the science of space research, helping us understand the effects of different environments on plant life.
  6. The integration of this technology with technology-driven solutions could lead to the creation of a smart environment, where ecosystems are continually monitored and adjusted to maintain optimal health and productivity.
  7. With the trend of science and technology advancing rapidly, it's only a matter of time before these sensors become a common resource for everyone, from individuals tolarge research organizations, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient world.
  8. As researchers continue to refine and expand the capabilities of these COF-silk sensors, the possibilities for better understanding and caring for our planet and ourselves seem endless, making the future both technologically exciting and environmentally promising.

Read also:

    Related

    Latest