Monitoring burn-induced electrical signals in tomato plants using adhesive printed gel electrodes

Integration of electronic devices with plant tissues can enable direct monitoring of plant properties as well as characterization of surrounding environmental conditions by using the instrumented plant as a living sensing system. In this report, an ink-jet printed PEDOT:PSS conductor is transferred to a soft poly(vinyl alcohol) gel to create a biocompatible adhesive electrode which is adhered to tomato plant tissues using a layer of methylcellulose. These adhesive electrodes provide robust conformal contact to the plant surfaces without eliciting a significant wound response, enabling continuous use under typical environmental conditions. Function of these gel electrodes was demonstrated by recording the real-time electrophysiological response of a burn wound event to a tomato leaf.