VisiSens technique to measure internal oxygen and respiration in barley roots

Abstract

Respiration is vital for production of energy in plants where oxygen is essential for conducting respiration. Internal oxygen levels in plants depend on respiratory rates. Tissues such as underground roots experience hypoxia due to their isolation from atmospheric oxygen and their internal oxygen depends on tissue size and local oxygen in soil and rhizosphere. Here, we used the ViSisens imaging technique, in which an optical sensor foil (i.e., the planar optode) is attached surface of root. This sensor measures oxygen values from fluorescence. Visisens microscope captures an entire area root surface and gives profile of internal oxygen. Interestingly, this system is also able to measure respiratory rate by measuring oxygen levels in a vial that contains root tissue.