Responsible Center: NASA KSC
Grant Monitor: O'Rourke, Aubrie
Center Contact:
aubrie.e.orourke@nasa.gov
Unique ID: 15390
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Solicitation / Funding Source: 2021 Space Biology NNH21ZDA001N-SBPS E.9: Plant Studies
Grant/Contract No.: 80NSSC23K0401
Project Type: GROUND
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| Task Description: |
This project aims to advance the fundamental understanding of the hormonal responses in plants in a spaceflight-like environment through an in situ technology that collects and analyzes data on plant phytohormones in real-time. A plant’s defense mechanisms against environmental stressors are initiated by progressive variations in the phytohormone levels. Salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and indole-3-acetic acid are among the most important regulators of induced defense mechanisms. Progressive variations in their levels have been reported under many drought and cold/heat-stressed conditions on Earth. However, the dynamic interaction mechanism of these hormones is not fully elucidated in a “space farming” setting due to the lack of technology, needed to facilitate in situ sensing. Real-time understanding of a plant’s responses to stressors is essential to minimize stress-induced growth and yield declines in plants. Toward this end, this project proposes to develop a lightweight, wireless, integrated leaf sensor network with multiple sensing elements to monitor plant hormonal variations in real-time. The system will be comprised of a multiplexed hormone sensor for quantitatively measuring the primary defense hormones: Salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and indole-3-acetic acid. The impact of the following stressors on the hormone levels will be analyzed: changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, temperature, and growth media. In contrast to the traditional discrete, disruptive, in vitro, time-intensive, and heavyweight instruments used for molecular analysis, our proposed leaf sensor network is energy-efficient, robust, lightweight, wireless, and provides in situ monitoring capabilities. We will develop functional correlations of the measured hormonal variations with physiological indicators (photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration) to differentiate the effect of growing conditions on individual plant productivity during various growth stages. The knowledge gained from this project will advance future research on predicting and improving plant growth and productivity under spaceflight stressors. |
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