A group of Japanese scientists captured a real-time footage of plants ‘talking’ to each other making it a remarkable achievement. Science Alert reports that plants release airborne compounds, similar to smells, forming a fine mist that serves as a means of communication.
The recorded video, led by molecular biologist Masatsugu Toyota from Saitama University and published in the journal Nature Communications, demonstrates how plants perceive and react to these airborne signals.
The research team, including PhD student Yuri Aratani and postdoctoral researcher Takuya Uemura, observed the response of an undamaged plant to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by plants that had undergone damage, either from insects or other causes. The study explains that plants detect VOCs from nearby damaged plants, triggering various defense mechanisms to protect themselves from environmental threats.
To capture these communication processes, the scientists utilized an air pump connected to a container housing leaves and caterpillars, along with another container featuring Arabidopsis thaliana, a common mustard family weed. Caterpillars feeding on tomato plant leaves and Arabidopsis thaliana were observed, and the responses of a second intact Arabidopsis plant, free from insects, were recorded in reaction to the danger cues.
By incorporating a biosensor that emitted a green glow and detected calcium ions, a communication mechanism also employed by human cells, the researchers revealed that undamaged plants received messages from their injured counterparts. The undamaged plants responded with bursts of calcium signaling, visible as ripples across their extended leaves.
Masatsugu Toyota expressed the significance of this discovery, stating, “We have finally unveiled the intricate story of when, where, and how plants respond to airborne ‘warning messages’ from their threatened neighbors.” The researchers identified two compounds, Z-3-HAL and E-2-HAL, as inducers of calcium signals in Arabidopsis.
In analyzing these airborne compounds, the team highlighted the role of this ethereal communication network in swiftly safeguarding neighboring plants from impending threats. The scientists extended their investigation to Mimosa pudica (touch-me-not) plants, using a similar technique to measure calcium signals released by these plants, known for moving their leaves in response to touch as a defense mechanism against predators.