Microneedles (MNs)-based Sensing Technology: An Innovative Solution for Agriculture

Abstract

Agricultural health is one of the most important aspects of improving crop productivity that significantly decreases food demand. Plant disease and nutritional value are among the most important factors affecting food safety and quality, consequently causing a decrease in crop yield and increasing plant mortality. Therefore, continuous monitoring of plant health is essential to enhance the yield of the crops. In this aspect, microneedle-based (MNs) sensing technology can potentially monitor agricultural health. Borrowing a page from medicine, minimally invasive MNs have been efficiently used to deliver drugs and biomolecules within the human body without any pain or damage to the tissue. Usually, MNs have been divided by researchers into four groups: solid microneedles (S-MNs), hollow microneedles (H-MNs), dissolving microneedles (D-MNs), and coated microneedles (C-MNs), which are effectively used according to requirements of delivery of biomolecules and sensing. Researchers developed MN-based sensing technologies for monitoring the plant's health. The MNs-based probe is directly attached to the relevant part of the plant tissue, thereby bypassing the cuticle. Interestingly, MNs-based sensing technology offers newer insight into agriculture health by continuously monitoring plant health, including nutritional values and pathogens. This article opens newer avenues and provides knowledge about the fabrication of MNs-based sensing technology for plant health that might benefit the food and agriculture industry.