Plant sensors could act as an early warning system for farmers

Using a pair of sensors made from carbon nanotubes, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, and the National University of Singapore have discovered signals that reveal when plants are experiencing stresses, such as heat, light, or attack from insects or bacteria. The researchers found that plants produce hydrogen peroxide and salicylic acid (a molecule similar to aspirin) at different timepoints for each type of stress, creating distinctive patterns that could serve as an early warning system. Farmers could use these sensors to monitor potential threats to their crops, allowing them to intervene before the crops are lost, the researchers said.