Plant’s Reaction To Rain
A team of international scientists consisting of The University of Western Australia’s School of Molecular Sciences, the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, and Lund University has made the surprising discovery that a plant’s reaction to rain is close to one of panic.
The study, revealed complex chemical signals are triggered when water lands on a plant to help it prepare for the dangers of rain.
UWA Professor Harvey Millar said after spraying plants with water and observing the effect, the researchers noticed a chain reaction in the plant caused by a protein called Myc2.
Plant’s Reaction To Rain- What’s The Phenomenon?
According to Professor Millar, when Myc2 is activated, thousands of genes spring into action, preparing the plant’s defenses. These warning signals travel from leaf to leaf and induce a range of protective effects.
He says that plants panic during rain because rain is the leading cause of disease spreading between plants.
When a raindrop splashes across a leaf, tiny droplets of water ricochet in all directions. These droplets can contain bacteria, viruses, or fungal spores. A single droplet can spread these up to 10 meters to surrounding plants
Evidence also suggests that when
it rains, the same signals spreading across leaves are transmitted to nearby plants through the air.One of the chemicals produced is a hormone called jasmonic acid that is used to send signals between plants, added Professor Millar.
Plant’s Reaction To Rain- More About the Study
If a plant’s neighbors have their defense mechanisms turned on, they are less likely to spread disease, so it’s in their best interest for plants to cover the warning to nearby plants.
Professor Millar said it was clear that plants had an intriguing relationship with water, with rain a significant carrier of the disease but also vital for a plant’s survival.
The study- Plant’s Reaction To Rain- was conducted in collaboration with SLU Umeå, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Ghent University, VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, La Trobe University, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
