Can Plant SpikerBox detect electrical signals in plants other than Mimosa or Venus flytrap?

General
1

Hello,

I am interested in using the Plant SpikerBox and have a question regarding its applicability to different plant species.

Most demonstrations seem to focus on Mimosa pudica and Venus flytrap because they are known for their rapid electrical responses. I was wondering whether it is also possible to observe measurable electrical potential changes in other plants that do not exhibit obvious rapid movements.

If so:

  1. Which types of plants are known to produce signals that can be detected with the Plant SpikerBox?
  2. What kinds of stimuli are typically required to generate detectable electrical responses (e.g., touch, leaf bending, light changes, temperature changes, wounding, etc.)?
  3. How strong or how long should the stimulus be to reliably observe a signal?
  4. Are there any recommended experimental setups or plant species for beginners who want to measure plant electrical activity beyond Mimosa and Venus flytrap?

I would appreciate any advice or examples from your experience.

Thank you!

2

Yes, it’s possible, and you don’t need a plant that moves to see something. You can read our paper on electrophysiological responses in plants.

2024 - Electrofisiology in Plantas.pdf (2.2 MB)

Short answers to your questions:

  1. We tested 16 species and got responses from 9, including non-movers like basil, tomato, mint, rosemary, ruda, and sundew. Basil and tomato were the most reliable.
  2. Touch works for Mimosa/Flytrap because they have specialized sensor cells. For everything else, flame is the stimulus we used, touch generally won’t trigger a response.
  3. A 2-4 second flame to the leaf tip is enough. The response shows up about 3-6 seconds later.
  4. Tomato or basil is the easiest starting point: wrap a wire around the stem, apply gel, ground in the soil, then flame a leaf tip and watch for a delayed signal. Expect some trial-to-error.

What other plants can i experiment with?

You can always test different approaches and try your own experiments, we’d be more than happy to see your results.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Marija

3

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation.

Your answers were extremely helpful and clarified several questions I had about using Plant SpikerBox with non-moving plants. I especially appreciate the practical advice regarding basil and tomato, the flame stimulus method, and the expected response timing.

I will read the paper you shared and use it as a reference for my research. Thank you again for taking the time to help and for sharing your experience.

1 Like
4

You are very welcome! If you have any additional questions or issues, please feel free to reach out to us here or send an email to hello@backyardbrains.com. We will be more than happy to help you.

Best,
Marija