Wageningen University & Research ( WUR ) has look into other detection of diseases and cuss through electrical biosignals . Vivent ’s biosensors were used for this purpose . In the fourth variation of Horticoop magazine Blad , Alja van der Schuren , Plant Physiology Scientist at Vivent Biosignals , and Kirsten Leiss , Senior Researcher Plant Health at WUR , discourse the enquiry process , the promising results and the opportunities this novel method offers growers .
Kirsten Leiss , Senior Researcher Plant Health at WUR and Alja van der Schuren , Plant Physiology Scientist at Vivent Biosignals .
Alja : " plant habituate different internal communication mechanisms . For illustration , a flora can indicate that its roots are under attack or that climate conditions are changing , so that the rest of the plant can prepare itself accordingly . One such communication mechanism is the electrical biosignal . At Vivent , we have uprise a method to read that signal . We have created a number of algorithms to read small part of information from the electrical sign . This data point whether a plant has been attacked by a disease . We then mould with Kirsten to examine composition of the signaling that show an fire by a virus , insect or fungus . “Kirsten : " That ’s veracious ! In collaboration with the Club of 100 , we tested electrophysiological sensors . This crap us the first to see biosensors for detecting emphasis due to infest plague or fungi . This form of focus is also call up biotic stress . plant react very specifically to insects and fungi . The question is : how can we recognize this reply early ? "
Testing thripid on tomato plants in shut cages . Alja : " This can be done by measuring the electrical sign . For this , you need a control group , consisting of plants that are free of all pests and diseases . Then there is a mathematical group of test plants , which are plants that are infected . We measure the electric biosignals of both groups of plants and compare them . It just wrick out that making certain industrial plant are invade is not always easy . Occasionally the insects do n’t do their occupation , and plants do n’t get infested . That , of course , remains in nature ’s script . “Kirsten : " We have indeed found that it take up a spate of experiments to work up a solid dataset . It is and always will be inquiry , and to make good comparisons there has to be a clear difference between the control plants and the psychometric test plant . There will always be some data set that are not useable , so it is substantive to experiment a lot . "
Alja research electrical biosignals . Alja : " From the data we at last collected , we compare the signal of the bud plants with that of the ascendancy plant . We also compared the signals in both groups with signals in the periods before , to ensure we are studying the industrial plant in the correct form . The figurer then looks for dispute between the signal . In doing so , we look at about 700 characteristics of the signal in entire , such as the height of the signaling or how often the signal moves . The feature where the signals are very unlike between the two mathematical group of plants form the basis of the model we originate . "
Kirsten : " For the study , we chose two example plants . For ornamentals , we worked with gerberas , and for fruiting vegetables we used tomato plant . Because we wanted to fuck if our models sour on dissimilar organisms , we free a virus , fungus , and an insect on these two plant species . We started with the virus . Unfortunately , we could not infect the plants enough , and the flora showed too few symptoms to build a framework with . With the fungus , powdery mold , another problem occurred . In fact , the controller mathematical group also turned out to be infected . "
In the test with powdery mold on tomato plants , both the test and control mathematical group turned out to be infect . Alja : " That was inauspicious ! The ascendancy industrial plant should also really serve as controls . As presently as an transmission is visible there , that data point can no longer be used . Otherwise , the model might pop seeing the early planetary house of powdery mildew as a control , and we need to deflect that . “Kirsten : " The dirt ball resultant were the most promising . For this , we used thrips : small insect that suck out the cells of leave , allowing air to put down . This gives the leaf a kind of silver lustre . That decorative damage is a problem , but so is the virus the thrips pass around that weakens the whole flora . The symptom of this are only visible after 5 - 6 days , but with the electric biosignals we could detect the transmission after only 2 - 3 day . “Alja : " That ’s going to serve the cultivator tremendously . Ideally , you need to find a disease before it is seeable on the plant , and it can spread , so the grower can intervene in sentence . We are test all sort of tactics with different parties in the chain , and it looks hopeful ! For the research with WUR , we used biosensors connected to the industrial plant with a cable . That is fine for an experiment , but in praxis a gadget without cables is desirable . So we recently developed a mini biosensor that unravel on batteries . you’re able to position this more easily in dissimilar places in the greenhouse . “Kirsten : " Then the information from the plant life has to get to the grower as rapidly as potential so he can intervene quickly . Is it true that you are already developing something for that too?“Alja : " We are indeed test a live splashboard with the first growers . The consequence the sensors identify a pest , the agriculturist receives a push message on his phone or computer . The signaling come through with only a few minutes time lag , so that ’s almost live data from the greenhouse ! With this development , we are impress towards plant - centred development . We are place the plant more at the eye of finish decision - making . Whereas the generation now step by step move back often relied on experience , the novel multiplication of raiser will work more with unexampled technologies . “Kirsten : " From a research worker ’s view , I whole understand this . I desire to be able to scan the works from the inside and infer its language . This is a challenge , but also has a caboodle of potential . Vivent ’s electrophysiological sensor not only measure out biotic tenseness , but also abiotic focus , or stress because of the climate . That compounding is unique and volunteer many opportunities for Modern research ! I am therefore very happy that the Club of 100 has made this enquiry possible . “Alja : " I hope that in the future we can preserve this research with the Club of 100 and WUR to eventually grow ever smarter crop ! "
The Club of 100 The Club of 100 is a collaboration of various supplier and trading companies in nursery gardening , including Horticoop . Together with WUR , members of the Club explicate noesis for growers worldwide to contribute to a sustainable , next - proof glasshouse gardening .
For more selective information : Vivent[email protected]www.vivent.nlWURwww.wur.nl
