Application of Microfluidics in Plant Physiology and Development Studies

Abstract

Microfluidics has emerged as a powerful enabling technology in plant science, offering unprecedented control over microscale environments for the cultivation, manipulation, and analysis of plant cells, tissues, and organs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the development and application of microfluidic systems in plant physiology and development studies. We categorize the platforms based on their structural designs and biological targets—from single-cell trapping devices and droplet-based screening systems to organ-on-a-chip and root–microbe interaction modules. Key applications include live-cell imaging, real-time monitoring of stress responses, microenvironment simulation, and high-throughput phenotyping. Particular attention is given to microfluidic investigations of plant mechanobiology, chemotropism, and cell-to-cell communication, as well as their integration with biosensors, electrophysiological tools, and environmental control systems. We also examine current limitations related to material compatibility, device scalability, and biological complexity, and highlight emerging solutions such as modular design, interdisciplinary integration, and soil-on-a-chip systems. By addressing both fundamental research needs and practical agricultural challenges, microfluidic technologies offer a transformative path toward precision plant science and sustainable crop innovation.

Plant phenotyping relevance

植物研究向けマイクロ流体プラットフォームを体系的にレビューし、高スループット表現型解析やストレス応答のリアルタイム測定を中心的に扱っているため、方法レビューとして採用。

Code and data availability

This is a review article on microfluidics in plant research. The Data Availability Statement explicitly states no new data were created or analyzed, and no author code, datasets, images, or models with public availability language are present. Figures are reproduced/adapted from cited prior works, and cited references'

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