A review in Plant Signaling & Behavior surveys plant electrostimulation, the practice of applying electric fields or currents to crops with set parameters to influence growth, development and the root zone. Its authors, a group led by Yu Dong across Chinese, New Zealand and Australian institutions, present it as a residue-free, controllable approach with potential to raise yield and quality and to improve tolerance to environmental and biological stress.
The review draws a central distinction between continuous or near-continuous stimulation and high-voltage pulsed treatments, which it says differ in how they act at the cell membrane, in whether their effects reverse, and in their safety profiles. It identifies three factors as central to whether stimulation works: control of membrane potential and ion transport, effects routed through the roots and the surrounding soil, and matching the stimulation settings to the specific response sought. The authors caution that moving these laboratory results into the field will need delivery systems that are stable, scalable, energy-efficient and feedback-controlled, and they call for standardized testing of parameters across different crops and soils.
Quotes
"Electrical stimulation is an emerging physical strategy for agricultural regulation that applies electric fields or currents with defined parameters to modulate plant growth, development, and rhizosphere processes."
"Owing to its residue-free nature, environmental compatibility, and high controllability, electrical stimulation has considerable potential to improve crop yield and quality while enhancing tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses, making it increasingly relevant to sustainable agriculture."
"Particular emphasis is placed on distinguishing continuous or quasi-continuous stimulation from high-voltage pulsed treatments, which differ in membrane-level mechanisms, reversibility, and safety profiles."
"Three interrelated factors are identified as central to its effectiveness: regulation of membrane potential and ion transport, root-targeted modulation of plant-soil interactions, and context-dependent matching of stimulation parameters with specific biological responses."
"We further highlight that translating laboratory-scale benefits into reliable field applications will require intelligent delivery systems capable of stable, scalable, energy-efficient, and feedback-controlled operation under variable environmental conditions."
Location
📍 China
Advances in plant electrostimulation: from cellular and molecular mechanisms to agricultural applications
Dong Y, Tian Y, Pan J, Qiu W, Zhou X, Xie Y, Liu M, Wang J, Gao F, Jin L, Wei D, Wang Y, Xiao Q (2026) Plant Signaling & Behavior Journal Level 0ⓘ
