Have you Ever Wondered How Plants Communicate?

We all know how valuable and significant plants are for Earth and living beings. They are the basis of each and every activity on our planet. They provide oxygen, beautify our land, add oodles of flavour to our food, have medicinal properties and also make a perfect gift. Altogether, they are those superheroes that don’t wear the cape. Though these green babies stay in one spot, they observe and react to their surroundings 24*7. They are constantly aware of the world around them and trade information with one another. Do they really communicate? Can they talk to each other? Know about it in this article!

Can Plants Really Communicate?

Plants don’t share the same senses as human beings. But they do communicate with each other in more ways than one. You can consider it as one of their adaptation and survival techniques. Years ago, the renowned biologist Charles Darwin mentioned that plants carry a brain-like structure at their root tips.

“It is hardly an exaggeration to say that the tip of the radicle [a young root]… having the power of directing the movements of the adjoining parts, acts like the brain…; receiving impressions from the sense organs, and directing the several movements [1].”, stated Charles Darwin and his son Francis in their experiment.

Though this hypothesis was incorrect, over a period of time, after several pieces of research, the fact that plants speak to each other as well as other living beings via chemicals, molecules and sounds, has the ring of truth. Let’s go into more detail on how they communicate, what they use to communicate and warn each other about danger.

How do Plants Communicate?

Plants make use of their roots to ‘listen’ to their neighbours. Various studies and researches suggest that plants share info via underground fungi networks. In a crowded place, they secrete chemicals into the soil and prompt the nearby plants to grow fast and let them come out of the shade.

Plants can even warn their fellow plants about an insect swarm. They transmit all such information through electrical pulses. Besides, plants have the understanding of whether the plants growing around them is their competitor or a sibling. If it’s the latter, they support them and grow close together. While plants in competition spread more roots to compete for food, sunlight and other needed sources.

Though there is still a long way to go to study plant communication, the secrets are unfolding to reveal more about the topic.