Plant patch detects disease

Lucy Wright

The wearable technology market continues to expand, and it’s not just humans donning the gadgets. Now, the industry is branching out to ‘wearable’ plant sensors.

Researchers at North Carolina State University, US, have developed a small electronic patch that can be placed on the underside of leaves to detect pathogens or stresses in crops. The versatile sensor incorporates technology to monitor temperature, humidity, and volatile organic compounds – small molecules emitted by plants that can indicate specific diseases.

In a study, published in the journal Science Advances (doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ade2232), the researchers showed that by using a machine learning framework to analyse the multichannel outputs, the patch was able to detect a virus infecting tomato plants as early as four days after inoculation, more than a week before growers would be able to detect any visible signs of disease.

Qingshan Wei, an Assistant Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at NC State and corresponding author of the paper explains: ‘This is important because the earlier growers can identify plant diseases or fungal infections, the better able they will be to limit the spread of the disease and preserve their crop.’

This technology builds on a previous pathogen-detecting prototype patch developed in 2021, incorporating additional sensors to monitor physical properties such as drought or salinity.  Wei notes: ‘The more quickly growers can identify abiotic stresses, such as irrigation water contaminated by saltwater intrusion, the better able they will be to address relevant challenges and improve crop yield.’

The researchers claim to be two steps away from having a viable product, which can be used for real-world applications. First, the patches need to be made wireless, and then the sensors need to be tested outside of greenhouses, to ensure they’ll work in the field.

‘We’re currently looking for industry and agriculture partners to help us move forward with developing and testing this technology,’ says Yong Zhu, co-corresponding author of the paper and Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State. ‘This could be a significant advance to help growers prevent small problems from becoming big ones and help us address food security challenges in a meaningful way.’

The development of new knowledge and tools in the agrifood sector speaks to a growing need for more sustainable and productive agriculture.

Dave Hughes, Head of Technology Identification and Evaluation for Crop Protection at Syngenta, commented: ‘Advances in diagnostic and analytical technologies in agriculture are potentially disruptive since they enable growers to understand what is going on in their fields at a much higher temporal and spatial resolution than has ever been possible before. This means that inputs and other interventions can be better timed and more precisely applied, leading to better outcomes with lower environmental impacts.’

Image: Qingshain Wei, NC State University