Plants 'talk' to plants to help them grow

[qualia]

via phys.org

Having a neighborly chat improves seed germination, finds research in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Ecology. Even when other known means of communication, such as contact, chemical and light-mediated signals, are blocked chilli seeds grow better when grown with basil plants. This suggests that plants are talking via nanomechanical vibrations.

Monica Gagliano and Michael Renton from the University of Western Australia attempted to grow chilli seeds (Capsicum annuum) in the presence or absence of other chilli plants, or basil (Ocimum basilicum). In the absence of a neighboring plant, germination rates were very low, but when the plants were able to openly communicate with the seeds more seedlings grew.

However when the seeds were separated from the basil plants with black plastic, so that they could not be influenced by either light or chemical signals, they germinated as though they could still communicate with the basil. A partial response was seen for fully grown chilli plants blocked from known communication with the seeds.

Dr Gagliano explained, "Our results show that plants are able to positively influence growth of seeds by some as yet unknown mechanism. Bad neighbors, such as fennel, prevent chilli seed germination in the same way. We believe that the answer may involve acoustic signals generated using nanomechanical oscillations from inside the cell which allow rapid communication between nearby plants."

not the most informative of snippets but i did a little googlefu and found the good dr's UWA page with more info, including a plos one journal article which i'm yet to read. looking forward to the inevitable sound recording and decryption of plant language.

[coolname]

i remember reading something similar years ago. Apparently there was some type of plant that releases some sort of hormone when animals graze on it which makes other plants nearby of the same species become more bitter. pretty interesting stuff

[Scarecrow]

Wow, awesome. More evidence that our plant friends are sentient on some level

[qualia]

seems it's just speculated that it's acoustic. it would be cool if there was some sort of quantum entanglement going on, like a kind of plant telepathy.

[Thelema]

hmmm, if the seeds are germinated in the same soil wouldn't a more appropriate assumption be that the roots of the plants are sending out various chemicals into the soil to influence germination?

[etherealdrifter]

 

i've thought Scotty is hot especially when she changed a pair of frozen brake pads in one episode

needless to say i stopped watching when they removed her from the show

[Idon'tstudydinosaurs]

bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22462855

More evidence of plant communication