How Plants Communicate to Get Their Needs Met

Do plants communicate with each other? What's going on in their speechless yet dynamic world? Do they like some of their neighbors better than others? Are they able to ward off insect attacks? Over the past ten years, some fascinating research has delved into what's going on in plant communities and the interaction within and among different species of plants and even insects. Studies have also documented some lively communication between plants and microbes - such as fungi and bacteria - that share living space in the root zone of a plant. Other studies have proven that there are also above-ground mechanisms plants use to signal one another, often in times of trouble.

The world of the underground is an interesting place indeed, and there's a lot going on. In many cases, it's a very crowded environment, like the streets of New York City or the freeways of Los Angeles, with steep competition for limited space. But, plants have a distinct disadvantage that we don't have. They can't flee to the solace of a country home when times get rough, when water and food are in short supply, or when an enemy is lurking. They're rooted in the ground!

Can plants also protect themselves from populations of potentially deadly microbes? While we still have a lot to learn about these complex interactions, there are some answers. Plants have remarkable natural ways of fending for themselves. They often face an arsenal of attacking pathogens and win the battle by making their own chemical weapons that they secrete from their roots. On the battlefield, they form a 'front line' of detached but living cells (aptly called border cells) that give off a dizzying number of biological chemicals that thwart the advancing enemy.

Plants are dependent on 'good guy' fungi and bacteria that live in their root zones to provide biological control of diseases. That's why it's always a good idea to use non-chemical measures to prevent and reduce damage caused by diseases whenever possible, relying on chemical control only as a last resort. As we learn more about what makes plants 'tick' we can better appreciate the mutually-beneficial nature of plants and microscopic organisms. Fungi that form symbiotic relationships with plant roots in natural settings (mycorrhizae) have been found to enhance water and nutrient uptake of plants. The most common ones enter the root cell of an estimated 80-90% of trees, shrub, flower, grass and crop plant species found on earth.A fascinating form of plant-to-plant communication used to ward off insects involves 'conversations' between different plant species.

So this clearly shows that plants have an effective way of communication and they understand each other in a brilliant way. This communication is scientifically proven to be true.