Application of non-invasive microelectrode flux measurements in plant stress physiology

Non-invasive microelectrode flux measurement (the MIFE™ technique) is a convenient tool to study membrane-transport processes in plants in situ. Over the last 20 years, many papers have been published elucidating the critical role of membrane-transport processes in response to a variety of abiotic and biotic stresses including salinity, osmotic stress, temperature extremes, acidity, oxygen deprivation, nutritional disorders, oxidative stress, and pathogens and elicitors. In this review, we summarize some of these findings and illustrate how the application of ion-selective microelectrodes may be combined with other techniques to address some fundamental issues related to mechanisms of plant nutrient acquisition and stress signaling and adaptation.