In Situ Decoding of Plant Ion Signals: Principles, Applications, and Challenges of Microneedle Sensing

Area of Science:

• Plant Physiology
• Agricultural Technology
• Biosensing

Background:

• Plant ion homeostasis is vital for stress resistance and precision agriculture.
• Current detection methods struggle with simultaneous in situ, real-time, minimally invasive, and high-resolution monitoring.
• Microneedle sensing technology offers a paradigm shift from ex vivo destructive detection to in vivo dynamic monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically elucidate the scientific implications and challenges of in situ plant ionic signal decoding using microneedle sensing.
• To trace the technological evolution of microneedle sensing in overcoming key bottlenecks.
• To review typical applications and analyze core challenges for future development.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of microneedle sensing technology evolution across sensing, detection, and system layers.
• Analysis of technological advancements in minimally invasive adaptation, specific recognition, and stable monitoring.
• Examination of applications in signal transduction, stress-resistant screening, and precision field management.

Main Results:

• Microneedle sensing technology progresses through sensing, detection, and system layers, overcoming limitations of traditional methods.
• The technology enables minimally invasive, in situ, real-time, and high-resolution monitoring of plant ionic signals.
• Reviewed applications demonstrate utility in signal transduction analysis, variety screening, and precision agriculture.

Conclusions:

• Microneedle sensing technology is poised to become indispensable in smart agriculture and plant physiology research.
• Advancements in material intelligence and system integration are key to its future development.
• This technology provides critical support for global food security challenges.