About

The Phyclops Project is a small group of scientists outside of academia. That means whatever we do strictly follows the scientific method, but by not being part of the academic machinery we can pursue any plant related research question that we find interesting.

We study the electrical signalling that happens within a plant's body. We also look at plant-to-plant electrical signals. We use low-cost, custom designed as well as off-the-shelf hardware and software that allow us to measure and analyze plant electrical signals with great precision and over long timeperiods. Some of our data is made available and is free to use, as long as you mention us as the source (see Downloads).

We have a standing collaboration with Earth Flow Systems (France) in our research on plant electrophysiology.

Plant electrophysiology studies the electrical activity in plants. Signals such as action potentials (APs), variation potentials (VPs) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) signals can be measured in a plant's body and are strongest in the vasculature. APs are similar to those found in animal neurons. VPs are slower-moving waves of depolarization caused by wounding or other stresses. SAR signals activate defense mechanisms throughout a plant when it is under attack. Electrophysiological techniques have been used to study how plants respond to their environment on an electrical level. More recently, electrical signals measured on plants are being studied with machine learning methods.

Contact: phyclops at protonmail.com