Developing new technologies to monitor translocation of chemicals in plant leaf

杀虫剂(包括除草剂、杀菌剂和杀虫剂)对作物保护的有效性关键取决于制剂的有效成分对不同叶层和膜的渗透性。化学助剂经常被用来软化叶片顶部的蜡层，并使除草剂能够穿过这一保护屏障。在实践中，活性成分吸收、蜡质柔软和/或渗透性与除草剂有效性之间的联系很难测量。因此，设计有效的佐剂并了解药效的得失是重大的农业技术挑战。该项目是巴斯夫和化学生物学研究所EPSTC中心的博士培训合作项目，将开发一套测量蜡软化和渗透性的新方法，并以两种互补的方式进行：1.直接成像液滴界面双层工具中高度可控的蜡屏障的渗透性；以及2.使用环境敏感的分子转子和先进的光学显微镜直接成像蜡的粘度。

The effectiveness of pesticides (including herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) for crop protection crucially depends on the permeability of the formulation's active ingredient across various leaf layers and membranes. Chemical adjuvants are often used to soften the top wax layer of the leaf and enable herbicide transport across this protective barrier. In practice the link between active ingredient uptake, wax softness and/or permeability and the effectiveness of a herbicide is very challenging to measure. Engineering effective adjuvants and understanding the gains and losses in efficacy are, therefore, significant agrotech challenges.This project is a collaboration between BASF and the Institute of Chemical Biology EPSTC Centre for Doctoral Training, and will develop a suite of novel methods to measure wax softening and permeability in two complementary ways:1. direct imaging of permeability of highly controllable wax barrier in droplet interface bilayer tool; and,2. via directly imaging of wax viscosity using environmentally sensitive molecular rotors and advanced optical microscopy.