Researchers Have Finally Recorded Plants "Talking" On Camera And Warning Each Other About Attacking Insects

[Judi Lynn]

February 17, 2024 at 3:22 pm

by Trisha Leigh

We have known for some time that plants are more “aware” than we previously realized – or at least, that they have capabilities that go beyond what one might assume a plant to have. Now, this video showing two of them “communicating” points to an even greater depth of understanding.

Plants are surrounded by a fine mist of airborne compounds that they use as a form of communication – mostly to warn other plants of predators and other threats. The “smell” they put off can keep hungry herbivores from feeding while also warning neighboring plants that they need to do the same.



Scientists have been cataloguing species that employ this method – around 80 so far – since the 1980s. Now, a team of researchers in Japan are using video to reveal how exactly plants receive and respond to these alarms raised by their close neighbors.

Molecular biologists Yuri Aratani and Takuya Uemura created a pump to transfer compounds sent by injured plants suffering attacks by insects to their still-whole neighbors. The plants had been genetically altered to shine bright green when they detected an influx of calcium ions – which is also a way that human brain cells communicate.

More:
https://twistedsifter.com/2024/02/researchers-have-finally-recorded-plants-talking-on-camera-and-warning-each-other-about-attacking-insects/

[Think. Again.]

1. I think we have backwards....

...I think the human species is actually the dumbest of all species, written language is not an indication of superiority, it's crutch we need because we're not advanced enough to communicate without it.

And look at the way we stupidly handle our only life-support system (and home). We are the dumb ones.

[chowder66]

13. I am right there with you.

[bernieb]

2. OMG!

I'll never be able to pull another weed!

[Bayard]

3. Little Shop of Horror, indeed...

Wonder if that stops once they're picked? (veges, herbs.)

[Goddessartist]

4. Wonderful plants!

They all communicate with each other!

I've always talked to my plants, and name them sometimes lol. I have a very green thumb!

[Midnight Writer]

5. When I mow the lawn I imagine the grass is screaming.

[live love laugh]

9. 😆 LOL

[Pojat]

10. Don't worry, they don't scream

Hi Midnight: See my post. YOu'd have to coat your mower blades with caterpillar spit to make your lawn scream. Besides, grasses are highly adapted to grazing, so they don't mind it as much as you think. Cheers!

[Cheezoholic]

6. The way fungi act as "the internet" of trees and plants is amazing

https://www.pbs.org/video/fungi-help-trees-talk-pyxfdv/

[Pojat]

7. Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles...

is the technical name for this amazing process. When we touch a hot stove, our central nervous system springs into action and our body pulls back. Since plants don't have nerves they've evolved to use scent compounds (volatiles) to rapidly send signals from one part of the plant to the other. So, say, a caterpillar starts chewing on a leaf...the plant can detect certain compounds in the caterpillar's saliva, which it produces in copious quantities as it happily masticates.

Reception/detection of caterpillar spit compounds in the plant's chewed part then sets off a biochemical chain of events in which the plant's genes are turned on to produce volatile SOS signals...So, now the leaves and plant parts above/below/near where the caterpillar is chewing then receive/detect the SOS signals. What happens next is that those plant parts turn on genes that start producing defensive compounds to make that tissue less palatable or downright nasty to the caterpillar. THat's only plant protection strategy number one.

Number two is that the predatory and parasitic bugs in the neighborhood can also smell these plant SOS scents and orient to them. IN other words, the plant sets up a scent trail for the caterpillar's natural enemies. This enables the natural enemies to rapidly find the caterpillar and then eat or parasitize it.

This process takes quite a bit of energy, and also requires activation by herbivore saliva compounds, so once a plant is harvested/picked, the system would quit after the energy reserves were depleted or input was lost.

There are 2 different defense processes: ONe for chewing bugs (like caterpillars, grubs, and grasshoppers) and pathogenic fungi (like rusts, smuts) and another for sucking bugs (like aphids) and bacterial pathogens (like citrus greening). Plant defense system #1 uses a scent compound called methyl jasomonate as a primary signal compound. IT smells like jasmine flowers as the name implies.

Plant defense system #2 uses a scent compound called methyl salicylate as a primary signal compound. WHen you use a topical analgesic like ben gay, you are smelling methyl salicylate. THIs compound is produced from salicylic acid, which is the main ingredient in aspirin. I think it got its name from the willow genus: Salix.

Googling 'herbivore induced plant compounds' provides lots of neat diagrams to explain this better than I did. Namaste.

[people]

12. thank you!

[mysteryowl]

8. Judi, you find the most interesting posts!

Thanks!

[Judi Lynn]

15. It's all nothing but luck, believe me! It's so great if you enjoy reading them. I'm seeing them for the 1st time, too.

Thank you, so much, mysteryowl! 🦉

[jfz9580m]

11. The plants started it! nt

[chowder66]

14. A 110 foot yellow pine was cut down in a neighbors yard the other day for no good reason. It was healthy.

I miss it terribly and can only think of it as murder.