Plant wearables: Bridging technology and sustainability in precision agriculture

Abstract

Plant wearable devices have the potential to transform horticultural practices by enabling continuous, noninvasive monitoring of plant health and environmental conditions in real-time and at a localized scale. Their flexible, lightweight designs and seamless conformability allow placement near delicate plant organs or within their microclimate, overcoming limitations that rigid sensors encounter when interfacing with soft and dynamic plant tissues. However, as wearable plant technology advances in precision horticulture, the issue of electronic waste (e-waste) becomes increasingly critical, especially when numerous devices are required for comprehensive, field-wide data collection. This underscores the pressing need for sustainable and biocompatible alternatives. Although recent efforts have focused on developing biodegradable devices and eco-friendly fabrication processes for horticultural applications, progress has been moderate. This Perspective reviews the current and future potential of sustainable plant wearable technologies, showcasing existing implementations and exploring the challenges and feasible pathways toward enhancing sustainability while acknowledging the complexity and multifaceted nature of true sustainability.