Japanese scientists have successfully recorded ‘conversations’ between plants revealing an astonishing form of communication that takes place between them. The research published in the journal Nature Communications highlights how plants release particles into their surroundings engaging in a form of ‘chat’ with each other.
Researchers at Saitama University in Japan made this discovery showcasing how plants sense dangers in their vicinity and communicate with each other in response. The study indicates that plants emit signals through the air to interact with nearby threats.
Japanese scientists recorded the ‘cries’ of healthy plants showcasing how they react to signals transmitted through the air. The video demonstrated how plants respond to signals related to potential hazards.
The researchers explained that the scent of emitted particles by healthy plants triggers a reaction. They further revealed that plants can sense the scent of particles released by other plants that might have suffered damage due to insects or other factors leading to the activation of various defence mechanisms.
According to the scientists, this inter-plant communication serves as a protective measure against environmental threats. To record these interactions, scientists installed a pump on a container filled with leaves and insects and in another box there was Arabidopsis thaliana which is a plant whose leaves were offered as food to the insects.
The observations revealed the response of nearby healthy plants to signals related to potential threats. To aid in recording these interactions, a biosensor emitting a green glow was added to the camera allowing the visualization of calcium ions used in plant communication.
