Biosensor for graft compatibility detection based on signal transduction through electrical resistance of graft union in plants

Abstract

Grafting is important, feasible and dominant over other means for getting good yields from the plants because it does not implicate soma clonal variation in the yields. The detection of graft compatibility at early stage is, therefore, important in agriculture and forestry production. The other reported methods for detection of graft compatibility in plants are time-consuming, require skilled labour along with repeated treatments and are not user friendly. The present study deals with utilization of drop of electrical resistance for developing a biosensor capable to detect the graft compatibility in commercial practice. Biosensor is a sensing devise that detects the biological phenomenon by converting the bio chemical signal into an electrical signal through the transducer. In the present study, the electrical resistance of graft union in Rose auto graft has been measured at various days after grafting in Rose plant and its pattern of variation has been studied. A mathematical model of the obtained pattern has been developed and a transducer has been designed to trace this pattern. A model of the biosensor which includes the said transducer for signal transduction in graft union and applicable for compatibility detection in plants has been envisaged.