Abstract
BackgroundElectrical impedance tomography (EIT) has rarely been applied in plant science, particularly to study plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. In this study, we evaluated the freezing resistance of floribunda roses (Rosa Floribunda) during frost dehardening using the EIT technique to identify a new method for rapid and non-destructive measurement of plant freezing resistance.ResultsThe current was the excitation source, the boundary voltage value was measured, and then the boundary voltage reconstructed value was formed. Using an imaging algorithm, the two-dimensional (2D) distribution of impedance or impedance variation was reconstructed. The EIT reconstructed values decreased obviously with the decline in freezing temperatures. The EIT reconstructed values of stems had the best fit to the logistic equation, and subsequently, the semi-lethal temperatures were calculated. The freezing resistance results evaluated using EIT reconstructed values were linearly correlated with the results of the traditional electrolyte leakage (EL) method (r = 0.93, P < 0.01).ConclusionsIn conclusion, after freezing tests, the reconstructed values of EIT images could be used to quantitatively evaluate the freezing resistance of floribunda rose stems. The present study provides a reference for the further application of the EIT technique for non-destructive and rapid detection of plant freezing resistance.
Highlights
Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has rarely been applied in plant science, to study plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses
Evaluation of EIT reconstruction quality Based on the brain model of the Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, the Fourth Military Medical University and combined with the present experimental plant material, a test device with a plexiglass container with a radius of 2, 4 or 8 cm was customized at Tsinghua University, and 16 electrodes were placed equidistantly on the wall of the device (Fig. 2a)
To determine the test parameters used for the freezing resistance measurement, 5 different rose stem diameters of approximately 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mm; 6 different excitation current intensities of 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 500 μA (Fig. 2b); and 4 different current frequencies of 1, 50, 100, and 150 kHz were applied (Fig. 3a)
Summary
Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has rarely been applied in plant science, to study plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. A. and other researchers have used Triphenyl Tetrazolium Chloride Assay (TTC), Proline Analysis and Computer Assisted Thermal Analysis (TA) to study the cold tolerance of plants [4,5,6,7] These methods have time-consuming and laborious drawbacks, and several days are required to complete the determination of freezing resistance. Improving and innovating the identification and test method of freezing resistance is essential and will provide a significant direction for studies on plant freezing resistant physiology. To achieve such an ideal method, studies based on the existing method and the development of a new method are great challenges for freezing resistance researchers
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