Plant phytohormone electrochemical sensing: From functional materials and interfaces to multiplexed sensor design.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Electrochemical monitoring of plant phytohormones is crucial for assessing plant stress and physiological status in real-time.
• Current limitations include ultra-low analyte concentrations, matrix interferences, and limited redox activity of key hormones, hindering in situ and field-deployable measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review recent advances in electrochemical sensing strategies for major plant phytohormones (SA, ABA, JA, IAA).
• To evaluate how material design, interfacial engineering, and sensor architecture address fundamental limitations in phytohormone detection.
• To explore strategies for enhancing sensitivity, selectivity, and operational stability for realistic agricultural conditions.

Main Methods:

• Review of hybrid nanomaterials, affinity-based and direct electrochemical transduction mechanisms.
• Evaluation of flexible/wearable sensor platforms and multiplexed architectures.
• Analysis of data-driven integration with wireless platforms and artificial intelligence for signal decoding.

Main Results:

• Novel materials and sensor designs show potential to overcome sensitivity and selectivity challenges.
• Hybrid nanomaterials and advanced interfacial engineering improve sensor performance under realistic conditions.
• Multiplexed systems and AI integration enable simultaneous decoding of multiple hormonal signals and their dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Rational engineering of electrochemical phytohormone sensors requires careful consideration of design strategies and performance trade-offs.
• Future directions focus on robust, field-ready monitoring systems for smart and sustainable agriculture.
• Addressing remaining bottlenecks is key to realizing the potential of electrochemical sensing in precision agriculture.