A hybrid multifunctional physicochemical sensor suite for continuous monitoring of crop health

Abstract

This work reports a first-of-its-kind hybrid wearable physicochemical sensor suite that we call PlantFit for simultaneous measurement of two key phytohormones, salicylic acid, and ethylene, along with vapor pressure deficit and radial growth of stem in live plants. The sensors are developed using a low-cost and roll-to-roll screen printing technology. A single integrated flexible patch that contains temperature, humidity, salicylic acid, and ethylene sensors, is installed on the leaves of live plants. The strain sensor with in-built pressure correction capability is wrapped around the plant stem to provide pressure-compensated stem diameter measurements. The sensors provide real-time information on plant health under different amounts of water stress conditions. The sensor suite is installed on bell pepper plants for 40 days and measurements of salicylic acid, ethylene, temperature, humidity, and stem diameter are recorded daily. In addition, sensors are installed on different parts of the same plant to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of water transport and phytohormone responses. Subsequent correlation and principal component analyses demonstrate the strong association between hormone levels, vapor pressure deficit, and water transport in the plant. Our findings suggest that the mass deployment of PlantFit in agricultural settings will aid growers in detecting water stress/deficiency early and in implementing early intervention measures to reduce stress-induced yield decline.

Wearable sensor supports in‐situ and continuous monitoring of plant health in precision agriculture era

“…Plants respond to changes in their external surrounding microenvironment by coordinating growth and development. Wearable sensors for plants can be attached to different surfaces, including leaves, stems and fruits, facilitating the monitoring of both plant physiology and environmental parameters (e.g., humidity, stomatal conductance, temperature, light, vapourpressure deficit) (see Figure 1b) (Hossain and Tabassum, 2023). Attaching wearable sensors directly to plants may interfere with their natural growth and development.…”

Improving Definition of Screen-Printed Functional Materials for Sensing Application

“…As one of the most used methods for printed electronics, screen printing stands out for its simplicity, scalability, effectivity, and robustness. , This leading technique allows the combination of multiple layers of different materials onto a flexible substrate by transferring the ink through a mesh with a blade/squeegee. By screen printing or by combining this method with other printing methods, different sensing devices can be fabricated, including environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, gas detection), biosensors (glucose, blood pressure), pressure sensors (touch sensors), and light sensors . Many of them are based on a simple structure which consists on a substrate, interdigitated electrodes, and the sensing film. , …”

Sensing of heavy metal Pb2+ ions in water utilizing the photonic structure of highly controlled hexagonal TiON/TiO2 nanotubes

“…Heavy metals are a significant concern for both human health and the environment. These elements can easily enter the human body through various pathways, including internal sources such as contaminated water and food, as well as external sources in the ambient environment 1 – 3 . This ease of transfer makes heavy metal contamination a serious concern for public health and environmental safety 4 , 5 .…”