The sensing technology seamlessly monitors heart rate, body temperature and physical activities of the human body, shedding an important light on the personalized medicine of the future.
Recently, a sensing technology consisting of electronic sensors for plants has been developed in joint collaboration with LIU Xiangjiang and YING Yibin from the College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, WANG Xiaozhi from the College of Information Science and Electronics Engineering, and HU Zhongyuan from the College of Agriculture and Biotechnology.
With this electronic sensing device that works harmlessly with the plant, the researchers continuously observed the water flow in the plants. During these observations, the research team realized that fruit growth and photosynthesis in plants were out of sync. They found that this result not only changed people's longstanding perception of the plant's growth and development process, but also opened the door to new technologies in growing high-yield crops.
Just as the nutrients needed by the human body are provided through blood flow, in plants, this transport is carried by water, just like in human veins. In addition to carrying nutrients in plants, water is also a carrier of signal molecules. Therefore, continuous, real-time monitoring of water flow in plants allows researchers to unravel the mysteries of water and nutrient distribution, signaling, and responses to the environment.
The sensors developed by the researchers, which are ultra-thin, soft, stretchable and lightweight, can be easily attached to various plant surfaces (eg leaves and stems) to monitor water flow.
In addition, the researchers designed the sensor in such a way that sunlight, oxygen, water and carbon dioxide, which are necessary for the normal growth and development of the plant, can pass freely, ensuring long-term harmony between the sensor and the plant. This design made; This allowed continuous monitoring of the water flow in the plant.
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By placing sensors at various key points on the watermelon stem, observing the continuous and dynamic distribution of water over different organs such as leaves, fruits and stems, and analyzing water flow data, the researchers discovered for the first time the mismatch between fruit growth and photosynthesis.
Watermelon is a plant that consists of 95 % water. Interpreting the data from sensors placed on the watermelon, the researchers determined that the watermelon carries 5 % water to the fruit to grow during the day, while all the remaining water is carried to the fruit at night.
Stating that the increase in night water flow is largely due to the difference in osmotic potential due to photosynthetic products accumulating during the day, HU Zhongyong also states that due to the absence of sweating, a large amount of water flow to the fruit is provided, triggering the increase in weight and volume of the fruit.
These findings by the researchers contradict the view that the accumulation of fresh fruit mass occurs mainly during the night, which means that fruit growth rate must be synchronized with photosynthetic activity, i.e. it is higher during the daytime.
This discovery by Zhejiang University (ZJU) scientists will provide theoretical and technical support for water, irrigation and crop cultivation, which is a major resource in agricultural production.