Continuously Listening to Plants' "Voices" — Measuring Electrical Signals with Nano Thin-Film Electrodes

Explanation

A research team at the Institute of Science Tokyo has developed an extremely thin, nanometer-scale thin-film electrode capable of measuring the tiny electrical signals given off by plants over long periods of time. Plants do not have nerves like animals, but it is known that when they are injured or dried out, they respond to changes in their condition by transmitting electrical signals within their bodies. Until now, inserting rigid electrodes would injure the plant, making long-term observation difficult.

Because the new electrode is soft and thin, it can be gently attached to a leaf to keep listening to the plant's "voice" without harming it. If signs of water shortage or disease can be detected early, watering and countermeasures in agriculture can be optimally timed. This research offers a tangible demonstration that the "stimulus and response" and "function of the cell membrane" (in which electrical potential arises from the movement of ions in and out) taught in biology class also apply to plants.