Abstract

Electrical signals in plants are mediators of long-distance signaling and correlate with plant movements and responses to stress. These signals are studied with single surface electrodes that cannot resolve signal propagation and integration, thus impeding their decoding and link to function. Here, we developed a conformable multielectrode array based on organic electronics for large-scale and high-resolution plant electrophysiology. We performed precise spatiotemporal mapping of the action potential (AP) in Venus flytrap and found that the AP actively propagates through the tissue with constant speed and without strong directionality. We also found that spontaneously generated APs can originate from unstimulated hairs and that they correlate with trap movement. Last, we demonstrate that the Venus flytrap circuitry can be activated by cells other than the sensory hairs. Our work reveals key properties of the AP and establishes the capacity of organic bioelectronics for resolving electrical signaling in plants contributing to the mechanistic understanding of long-distance responses in plants.

Published in

Science Advances
2023, Volume: 9, number: 30, article number: eadh4443
Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE

SLU Authors

• Stavrinidou, Eleni

  • Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Linköping University

UKÄ Subject classification

Biophysics
Botany


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adh4443

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/123922