Printing technologies for monitoring crop health

Read full text
Authors: David Panáček, Vojtěch Kupka, Martin‐Alex Nalepa, Ivan Dědek, Ruslán Álvarez-Diduk, Selin Olenik, José M.R. Flauzino, Jan Zdražil, Petr Jakubec, Lukáš Zdražil, Lukáš Spíchal, Keval K. Sonigara
+7 more Radek Zbořil, Martin Pumera, Arben Merkoçi, Joseph Wang, Nuria De Diego, Firat Güder, Michal Otyepka
Cited by: 7
References: 301

Abstract

Agricultural production requires low-cost sensors capable of delivering reliable, high-resolution data across large areas. Rising food demand, limited arable land, and severe soil degradation have accelerated the adoption of precision agriculture, which relies on real-time monitoring of soil, plant, and environmental conditions. Central to this shift is the development of scalable sensor technologies enabled by advances in materials science. Printing techniques, including inkjet, screen, aerosol jet, 3D printing, and direct laser writing, offer versatile routes to fabricate flexible, large-area, and plant-integrated sensors. This Review surveys recent progress in printable low-dimensional materials for agricultural sensing, examines their physicochemical properties in relation to sensor performance, and discusses key challenges and future opportunities requiring interdisciplinary integration.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Nanomaterials and Printing Technologies Biosensors and Analytical Detection Gas Sensing Nanomaterials and Sensors

Publication details

Journal / source
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
17
Issue
1
Publication date
24 January 2026
Language
EN