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Coatsworth P, Cotur Y, Naik A, Asfour T, Collins ASP, Olenik S, Zhou Z, Gonzalez-Macia L, Chao DY, Bozkurt T, Güder F. Time-resolved chemical monitoring of whole plant roots with printed electrochemical sensors and machine learning. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj6315. [PMID: 38295162 PMCID: PMC10830104 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj6315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Traditional single-point measurements fail to capture dynamic chemical responses of plants, which are complex, nonequilibrium biological systems. We report TETRIS (time-resolved electrochemical technology for plant root environment in situ chemical sensing), a real-time chemical phenotyping system for continuously monitoring chemical signals in the often-neglected plant root environment. TETRIS consisted of low-cost, highly scalable screen-printed electrochemical sensors for monitoring concentrations of salt, pH, and H2O2 in the root environment of whole plants, where multiplexing allowed for parallel sensing operation. TETRIS was used to measure ion uptake in tomato, kale, and rice and detected differences between nutrient and heavy metal ion uptake. Modulation of ion uptake with ion channel blocker LaCl3 was monitored by TETRIS and machine learning used to predict ion uptake. TETRIS has the potential to overcome the urgent "bottleneck" in high-throughput screening in producing high-yielding plant varieties with improved resistance against stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Coatsworth
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Yasin Cotur
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Atharv Naik
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Tarek Asfour
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Alex Silva-Pinto Collins
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Selin Olenik
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Zihao Zhou
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Laura Gonzalez-Macia
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Dai-Yin Chao
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Tolga Bozkurt
- Imperial College London, Department of Life Sciences, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Firat Güder
- Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering, Royal School of Mines, SW7 2AZ London, UK
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Vurro F, Croci M, Impollonia G, Marchetti E, Gracia-Romero A, Bettelli M, Araus JL, Amaducci S, Janni M. Field Plant Monitoring from Macro to Micro Scale: Feasibility and Validation of Combined Field Monitoring Approaches from Remote to in Vivo to Cope with Drought Stress in Tomato. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3851. [PMID: 38005747 PMCID: PMC10674827 DOI: 10.3390/plants12223851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring plant growth and development during cultivation to optimize resource use efficiency is crucial to achieve an increased sustainability of agriculture systems and ensure food security. In this study, we compared field monitoring approaches from the macro to micro scale with the aim of developing novel in vivo tools for field phenotyping and advancing the efficiency of drought stress detection at the field level. To this end, we tested different methodologies in the monitoring of tomato growth under different water regimes: (i) micro-scale (inserted in the plant stem) real-time monitoring with an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT)-based sensor, namely a bioristor, that enables continuous monitoring of the plant; (ii) medium-scale (<1 m from the canopy) monitoring through red-green-blue (RGB) low-cost imaging; (iii) macro-scale multispectral and thermal monitoring using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). High correlations between aerial and proximal remote sensing were found with chlorophyll-related indices, although at specific time points (NDVI and NDRE with GGA and SPAD). The ion concentration and allocation monitored by the index R of the bioristor during the drought defense response were highly correlated with the water use indices (Crop Water Stress Index (CSWI), relative water content (RWC), vapor pressure deficit (VPD)). A high negative correlation was observed with the CWSI and, in turn, with the RWC. Although proximal remote sensing measurements correlated well with water stress indices, vegetation indices provide information about the crop's status at a specific moment. Meanwhile, the bioristor continuously monitors the ion movements and the correlated water use during plant growth and development, making this tool a promising device for field monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Vurro
- Istituto dei Materiali per l’Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy; (F.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Michele Croci
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense, 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Giorgio Impollonia
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense, 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Edoardo Marchetti
- Istituto dei Materiali per l’Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy; (F.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Adrian Gracia-Romero
- Integrative Crop Ecophysiology Group, Agrotecnio—Center for Research in Agrotechnology, Plant Physiology Section, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (A.G.-R.); (J.L.A.)
- Field Crops Program, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), 251981 Lleida, Spain
| | - Manuele Bettelli
- Istituto dei Materiali per l’Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy; (F.V.); (M.B.)
| | - José Luis Araus
- Integrative Crop Ecophysiology Group, Agrotecnio—Center for Research in Agrotechnology, Plant Physiology Section, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (A.G.-R.); (J.L.A.)
| | - Stefano Amaducci
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense, 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Michela Janni
- Istituto dei Materiali per l’Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy; (F.V.); (M.B.)
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Petrozza A, Summerer S, Melfi D, Mango T, Vurro F, Bettelli M, Janni M, Cellini F, Carriero F. A Lycopene ε-Cyclase TILLING Allele Enhances Lycopene and Carotenoid Content in Fruit and Improves Drought Stress Tolerance in Tomato Plants. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1284. [PMID: 37372464 DOI: 10.3390/genes14061284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In the scenario of climate change, the availability of genetic resources for tomato cultivation that combine improved nutritional properties and more tolerance to water deficiency is highly desirable. Within this context, the molecular screenings of the Red Setter cultivar-based TILLING platform led to the isolation of a novel lycopene ε-cyclase gene (SlLCY-E) variant (G/3378/T) that produces modifications in the carotenoid content of tomato leaves and fruits. In leaf tissue, the novel G/3378/T SlLCY-E allele enhances β,β-xanthophyll content at the expense of lutein, which decreases, while in ripe tomato fruit the TILLING mutation induces a significant increase in lycopene and total carotenoid content. Under drought stress conditions, the G/3378/T SlLCY-E plants produce more abscisic acid (ABA) and still conserve their leaf carotenoid profile (reduction of lutein and increase in β,β-xanthophyll content). Furthermore, under said conditions, the mutant plants grow much better and are more tolerant to drought stress, as revealed by digital-based image analysis and in vivo monitoring of the OECT (Organic Electrochemical Transistor) sensor. Altogether, our data indicate that the novel TILLING SlLCY-E allelic variant is a valuable genetic resource that can be used for developing new tomato varieties, improved in drought stress tolerance and enriched in fruit lycopene and carotenoid content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Petrozza
- ALSIA Centro Ricerche Metapontum Agrobios, s.s. Jonica 106, km 448.2, 75010 Metaponto, MT, Italy
| | - Stephan Summerer
- ALSIA Centro Ricerche Metapontum Agrobios, s.s. Jonica 106, km 448.2, 75010 Metaponto, MT, Italy
| | - Donato Melfi
- ALSIA Centro Ricerche Metapontum Agrobios, s.s. Jonica 106, km 448.2, 75010 Metaponto, MT, Italy
| | - Teresa Mango
- ALSIA Centro Ricerche Metapontum Agrobios, s.s. Jonica 106, km 448.2, 75010 Metaponto, MT, Italy
| | - Filippo Vurro
- Istituto dei Materiali per l'Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Manuele Bettelli
- Istituto dei Materiali per l'Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Michela Janni
- Istituto dei Materiali per l'Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Francesco Cellini
- ALSIA Centro Ricerche Metapontum Agrobios, s.s. Jonica 106, km 448.2, 75010 Metaponto, MT, Italy
| | - Filomena Carriero
- ALSIA Centro Ricerche Metapontum Agrobios, s.s. Jonica 106, km 448.2, 75010 Metaponto, MT, Italy
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Elli G, Hamed S, Petrelli M, Ibba P, Ciocca M, Lugli P, Petti L. Field-Effect Transistor-Based Biosensors for Environmental and Agricultural Monitoring. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22114178. [PMID: 35684798 PMCID: PMC9185402 DOI: 10.3390/s22114178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The precise monitoring of environmental contaminants and agricultural plant stress factors, respectively responsible for damages to our ecosystems and crop losses, has nowadays become a topic of uttermost importance. This is also highlighted by the recent introduction of the so-called "Sustainable Development Goals" of the United Nations, which aim at reducing pollutants while implementing more sustainable food production practices, leading to a reduced impact on all ecosystems. In this context, the standard methods currently used in these fields represent a sub-optimal solution, being expensive, laboratory-based techniques, and typically requiring trained personnel with high expertise. Recent advances in both biotechnology and material science have led to the emergence of new sensing (and biosensing) technologies, enabling low-cost, precise, and real-time detection. An especially interesting category of biosensors is represented by field-effect transistor-based biosensors (bio-FETs), which enable the possibility of performing in situ, continuous, selective, and sensitive measurements of a wide palette of different parameters of interest. Furthermore, bio-FETs offer the possibility of being fabricated using innovative and sustainable materials, employing various device configurations, each customized for a specific application. In the specific field of environmental and agricultural monitoring, the exploitation of these devices is particularly attractive as it paves the way to early detection and intervention strategies useful to limit, or even completely avoid negative outcomes (such as diseases to animals or ecosystems losses). This review focuses exactly on bio-FETs for environmental and agricultural monitoring, highlighting the recent and most relevant studies. First, bio-FET technology is introduced, followed by a detailed description of the the most commonly employed configurations, the available device fabrication techniques, as well as the specific materials and recognition elements. Then, examples of studies employing bio-FETs for environmental and agricultural monitoring are presented, highlighting in detail advantages and disadvantages of available examples. Finally, in the discussion, the major challenges to be overcome (e.g., short device lifetime, small sensitivity and selectivity in complex media) are critically presented. Despite the current limitations and challenges, this review clearly shows that bio-FETs are extremely promising for new and disruptive innovations in these areas and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Elli
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (S.H.); (M.P.); (P.I.); (M.C.); (P.L.); (L.P.)
- Smart Materials, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Saleh Hamed
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (S.H.); (M.P.); (P.I.); (M.C.); (P.L.); (L.P.)
- Smart Materials, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Mattia Petrelli
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (S.H.); (M.P.); (P.I.); (M.C.); (P.L.); (L.P.)
- Smart Materials, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Pietro Ibba
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (S.H.); (M.P.); (P.I.); (M.C.); (P.L.); (L.P.)
| | - Manuela Ciocca
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (S.H.); (M.P.); (P.I.); (M.C.); (P.L.); (L.P.)
| | - Paolo Lugli
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (S.H.); (M.P.); (P.I.); (M.C.); (P.L.); (L.P.)
| | - Luisa Petti
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (S.H.); (M.P.); (P.I.); (M.C.); (P.L.); (L.P.)
- Competence Centre for Plant Health, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
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Combining Precision Viticulture Technologies and Economic Indices to Sustainable Water Use Management. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14091493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The scarcity of water due to climate change is endangering worldwide the production, quality, and economic viability of growing wine grapes. One of the main mitigation measures to be adopted in the viticulture sector will be an adequate irrigation strategy. Irrigation involves an increasing demand for water, a natural limited resource with increasing availability problems for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the development of a precision irrigation system, which is able to manage the efficient use of water and to monitor the crop water stress, is an important research topic for viticulture. This paper, through the analysis of a case study, aims to describe the prototype of a software platform that integrates data coming from different innovative remote and proximal sensors to monitor the hydric stress status of the vineyard. In addition, by using a cost analysis of grape cultivation and implementing economic indices, this study examines the conditions by which irrigation strategies may be economically justified, helping the decision-making process. By combining different sensors, the platform makes it possible to assess the spatial and temporal variability of water in vineyards. In addition, the output data of the platforming, matched with the economic indices, support the decision-making process for winemakers to optimize and schedule water use under water-scarce conditions.
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