Recent advances in resistive strain sensors: from materials and fabrication to applications in plant wearables

The continuous growth of the global population, coupled with increasingly severe environmental stresses such as droughts, floods, and frosts, has made enhancing crop yields a critical research priority. Smart agriculture, which integrates wearable plant sensors with the Internet of Things (IoT), presents a promising solution. This approach enables real-time monitoring of plant growth dynamics and pattern analysis, supports targeted human intervention to minimize resource waste, and promotes sustainable resource management. Within this framework, resistive strain sensors serve as a foundational technology. This minireview therefore summarizes their recent advances, with a focus on sensing materials, fabrication techniques, and emerging applications in wearable plant sensors.