Saturday, April 20, 2024

The underexplored field of below ground plant root communication

Amazing stuff! Apparently, this is a call for more research in this area!

"It’s well established that plants chemically communicate through the air. They emit volatile chemicals that can attract pollinators, repel the plants’ enemies, call for help in battling pests, and even warn nearby plants of danger. But a growing body of evidence suggests essential communication also occurs beneath the soil ...
Research to date suggests that the chemicals secreted by roots can signal growth changes in neighboring plants and even alert them of an impending attack. Plants may also communicate through the specialized fungal networks that can connect their roots, and maybe even soil-dwelling bacteria. ..."

"Plants communicate through chemical signals, which convey information about environmental threats and resource availability, or even trigger defense mechanisms, allowing plants to coordinate responses and optimize their survival strategies. Plant communication encompasses both above ground and below ground interactions. Above ground, plants emit volatile organic compounds that are detected by the above ground organs of neighboring plants. These airborne chemical signals can transfer information to conspecific neighbors about herbivore attack, pathogens, or even the presence of beneficial insects. Although there are multiple examples of above ground plant communication, below ground plant communication represents a similarly captivating phenomenon that has thus far received less exploration."

ScienceAdvisor

Exposing belowground plant communication Root exudation could be harnessed for ecological and applied research

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