Plant-on-a-chip: continuous, soilless electrochemical monitoring of salt uptake and tolerance among different genotypes of tomato
File(s)d4sd00065j.pdf (2.43 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), a high-value crop, exhibit a unique relationship with salt, where increased levels of NaCl can enhance flavor, aroma and nutritional quality but can cause oxidative damage and reduce yields. A drive for larger, better-looking tomatoes has reduced the importance of salt sensitivity, a concern considering that the sodium content of agricultural land is increasing over time. Currently, there are no simple ways of comparing salt tolerance between plants, where a holistic approach looking at [Na+] throughout the plant typically involves destructive, single time point measurements or expensive imaging techniques. Finding methods that collect rapid information in real time could improve the understanding of salt resistance in the field. Here we investigate the uptake of NaCl by tomatoes using TETRIS (Time-resolved Electrochemical Technology for plant Root environment In situ chemical Sensing), a platform used to measure chemical signals in the root area of living plants. Low-cost, screen-printed electrochemical sensors were used to measure changes in salt concentration via electrical impedance measurements, facilitating the monitoring of the uptake of ions by roots. We not only demonstrated differences in the rate of uptake of NaCl between tomato seedlings under different growth conditions, but also showed differences in uptake between varieties of tomato with different NaCl sensitivities and the relatively salt-resistant “wild tomato” (Solanum pimpinellifolium) sister species. Our results suggest that TETRIS could be used to ascertain physiological traits of salt resistance found in adult plants but at the seedling stage of growth. This extrapolation, and the possibility to multiplex and change sensor configuration, could enable high-throughput screening of many hundreds or thousands of mutants or varieties.
Date Issued
2024-05-01
Date Acceptance
2024-04-04
Citation
Sensors & Diagnostics, 2024, 3 (5), pp.799-808
ISSN
2635-0998
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
799
End Page
808
Journal / Book Title
Sensors & Diagnostics
Volume
3
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by the Royal Society of Chemistry Open Access Article This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.
License URL
Identifier
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/sd/d4sd00065j
Subjects
Chemistry
Chemistry, Analytical
GROWTH
ION UPTAKE
Physical Sciences
POTASSIUM
ROOT
SALINITY
Science & Technology
SODIUM
TRANSPORT
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2024-04-11