Description: In-orbit or deep space-based plant growth systems are of interest to NASA as part of fundamental space research and for ensuring supply of fresh produce to the crew. These systems are part of enabling technologies for sustainable and long-term human spaceflight. Ethylene gas is a natural plant metabolite and phytohormone. In enclosed spaceship settings, ethylene build-up can be deleterious to plants. Thus, there is a need to monitor ethylene in real-time, sensitively, reversibly and effectively. Currently, state of the art technology is limited with portability and detection sensitivity issues. To close this technology gap, InnoSense LLC (ISL) will develop a solid state electrochemical sensor (Polymer Nanowire based ethylene Monitor (PNet-Mon)). To expedite this development, PNet-Mon will build on electronic hardware platform engineered by ISL previously. The innovation on this project will only be on ethylene sensing. This effort directly addresses a need expressed in NASA Technical Roadmap (TA 6).

Benefits: PNet-Mon is intended for use in plant growth systems and chambers in space. Once integrated into NASA systems, PNet-Mon will provide vital quantitative information in situ about the ethylene gas levels. The rugged, compact, and portable sensor will detect ethylene at part per billion levels. This is critical in enclosed space settings. Successful ethylene monitoring will enable efficient crop management. PNet-Mon will be compatible with size, power and sensitivity requirements of NASA for long-term human spaceflight missions.

In addition to NASA application during human spaceflight missions, PNet-Mon will prove to be a valuable tool in any greenhouse, food processing, storage and distribution facilities. The benefits of integrating PNet-Mon into any produce/crop supply chain would be of great interest to the industry in terms of product quality and marketability, and production cost. By monitoring ethylene gas, the optimal harvest time and/or storage time/conditions can be determined. Thus, producers can achieve optimal fruit quality and ripeness. PNet-Mon supply chain integration can help prevent produce spoilage caused by deleterious levels of ethylene gas. By preventing spoilage, companies could save time and money associated with spoiled produce.