MULTIFUNCTIONAL LEAF WEARABLE SENSOR FOR CONTINUOUS PLANT PHYSIOLOGY MONITORING

In this project, we aim to study and develop a transformative and multifunctional plant wearable sensor that can be deployed on-plant for continuous monitoring of both biotic and abiotic stresses of plants and their microenvironment to support digital farming and precision agricutlure descion making. This leaf-attachable wearable sensor will include an array of ligand-functionalzied chemiresistive sensors to profile plant leaf VOCs and nanowire-based flexible sensors to monitor microclimate (humidity and temperature) in parallel. The sensors will be prepared on a light-transparent, gas-permeable, and stretchablesubstrate for long-term wearability on live plants. In addition, a wireless data transmission protocol and machine learning framework will be developed for real-time data acquisition and multi-channel data processing, respectively. The system will be thoroughly tested on tomato plants in the greenhouse for water stress monitoring and early detection of P. nicotianae. Our tool will meet the immediate need for affordable and distributed plant sensors to enhance our ability for precision crop and water management, and contribute to the mission of sustainable agriculture.