Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, SE-60174 Norrköping, Sweden.
Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, SE-60174 Norrköping, Sweden.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Jan 9;121(2):e2304135120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2304135120. Epub 2023 Dec 26.
Active hydroponic substrates that stimulate on demand the plant growth have not been demonstrated so far. Here, we developed the eSoil, a low-power bioelectronic growth scaffold that can provide electrical stimulation to the plants' root system and growth environment in hydroponics settings. eSoil's active material is an organic mixed ionic electronic conductor while its main structural component is cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer. We demonstrate that barley seedlings that are widely used for fodder grow within the eSoil with the root system integrated within its porous matrix. Simply by polarizing the eSoil, seedling growth is accelerated resulting in increase of dry weight on average by 50% after 15 d of growth. The effect is evident both on root and shoot development and occurs during the growth period after the stimulation. The stimulated plants reduce and assimilate NO more efficiently than controls, a finding that may have implications on minimizing fertilizer use. However, more studies are required to provide a mechanistic understanding of the physical and biological processes involved. eSoil opens the pathway for the development of active hydroponic scaffolds that may increase crop yield in a sustainable manner.
迄今为止，尚无研究表明有能按需刺激植物生长的主动水培基质。在这里，我们开发了 eSoil，这是一种低功耗的生物电子生长支架，可在水培环境中为植物的根系和生长环境提供电刺激。eSoil 的活性材料是一种有机混合离子电子导体，而其主要结构成分是纤维素，这是最丰富的生物聚合物。我们证明，广泛用于饲料的大麦幼苗可以在 eSoil 中生长，其根系整合在其多孔基质中。只需对 eSoil 进行极化，就可以加速幼苗生长，在 15 天的生长后，平均干重增加 50%。这种影响在根系和芽的发育上都很明显，并且发生在刺激后的生长期间。与对照相比，受刺激的植物更有效地减少和同化 NO，这一发现可能对最大限度地减少肥料使用具有重要意义。然而，需要进一步的研究来提供对所涉及的物理和生物过程的机制理解。eSoil 为开发主动水培支架开辟了道路，这可能以可持续的方式提高作物产量。
