PFI-TT: Sending Stress-Induced Chemical Fingerprints Emitted by Plants Using a Network of Electronic Noses
This work is a partnership between NC State University (NC State) and Eastern Carolina University (ECU).
NC State and ECU are partnering to develop a low-power, field-deployable, connected electronic nose (e-nose). This e-nose has high sensitivity and selectivity, and is optimized to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from plants to activate their defenses, attract beneficial insects, and warn of impending attacks. Through lab analysis of collected samples from model crops, the volatomic "fingerprint" of specific plant diseases can be identified. The e-nose will be utilized to detect this fingerprint in the field or in storage conditions, enabling early diagnosis of plant diseases.
Sponsor
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The grant—running from June 15, 2021 to May 31, 2023—is for a total of $250,000.
Principle Investigators
Omer Oralkan
Ralph A. Dean
More Details
It is well known that during times of stress, possibly due to herbivory or pathogen infection, plants emit a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOC). These VOCs serve to activate the plant defenses, attract beneficial insects, and warn adjacent plants of an impending attack. There are no sensors available today that can detect the volatomic ‘fingerprint’ in the field or storage conditions with sufficient sensitivity and selectivity to help with early diagnosis of plant disease. The innovation proposed in this project is 1) identify the volatomic fingerprints of specific plant diseases for model crops through lab analysis of collected samples from plants in simulated field conditions; 2) develop the low-power, field-deployable, connected electronic nose (e-nose) systems with high sensitivity and selectivity, optimized to detect the volatomic fingerprints identified through lab analysis.