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Plant physiology: Organic electronics take root

Nature Reviews Materials volume 2, Article number: 17032 (2017) Cite this article

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Research in organic electronics is typically within the context of light-emitting and photovoltaic devices, stretchable and wearable devices, and biomedical applications. However, researchers have now extended the technology of an organic electronic ion pump (OEIP) for a slightly less obvious purpose — to regulate plant physiology. “We see this study as a first step toward bridging the amazing biological technologies developed over the last few decades for human therapies into the plant kingdom,” says Daniel Simon, lead author of the work reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The foundations of this project were laid about a decade ago. “We were asked: what is the craziest combination of technologies and applications you can come up with? Our answer: drug delivery to plants!” explains Simon. His group later contacted Ove Nilsson, director of the Umeå Plant Science Centre, who pointed them towards colleague Markus Grebe (a co-author of the study). “Without the willingness of Ove and Markus — and the Wallenberg Foundation — to work with crazy engineers, none of this project would have been possible.”

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References

  1. Poxson, D. J. et al. Regulating plant physiology with organic electronics. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USAhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1617758114 (2017)

  2. Stavrinidou, E. et al. Electronic plants. Sci. Adv. 1, e1501136 (2015)

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  3. Jonsson, A. et al. Therapy using implanted organic bioelectronics. Sci. Adv. 1, e1500039 (2015)

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Authors
  1. Adam Brotchie
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Brotchie, A. Plant physiology: Organic electronics take root. Nat Rev Mater 2, 17032 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2017.32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2017.32

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