We Just Learned Plants Under Attack Evolve a Universal 'Scream' to Warn Others [View all]
MICHELLE STARR 4 OCT 2019
They may not have the muscles and reflexes of the animal kingdom, but that doesn't mean plants just passively sit around when something starts chewing them up.
We know damage triggers a signal that spreads through the plant, mounting its defensive response. And we know part of that response is the release of smelly volatile organic compounds.
Now new research has shed new light on what those compounds do. They signal to other plants nearby that a threat is imminent, allowing them to go on the defensive too. In other words, they're effectively a smelly warning cry.
In fact, this new study on Canada goldenrod (Solidago altissima) even found that the chemical compounds released are more similar in plants with a history of being attacked, whether or not they're related.
More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/plants-scream-to-each-other-in-smells-when-they-re-under-attack
= new reply since forum marked as read
