Plants muster defenses when they "hear" an attack

Credit: William Vann/EduPic Graphical Resource

For some time, it has been known that when a plant is being eaten by a herbivore, it starts producing chemicals which taste bad &/or are poisonous to the herbivore. Pheromones released simultaneously, signal nearby plants which also begin producing the same chemicals.

Now it has been discovered that, at least some plants are able to detect, & react to, the specific vibrations typical of the sounds produced by caterpillars feeding.



http://www.cnet.com/au/news/plants-muster-defenses-when-they-hear-an-attack/ / mechanisms University of Missouri MU research researchers scientist biologists botanist discovered defense mechanisms triggered plants sense vibrations caterpillars leaves Heidi Appel senior research scientist Rex Cocroft professor Division of Biological Sciences plant Arabidopsis cabbage mustard recorded sound insects munching laser microphone divided plants sound munching silence researchers heard sounds caterpillars munching leaves produced mustard oils compound toxic caterpillars attack hearing sounds chemical defense crawling away enhance plant defense defence agriculture plant behavior responses outside influences animals look different studies showed plants difference between vibrations wind acoustic features caterpillar feeding vibrations mustard oils specific sound of caterpillar munching was played plants respond to acoustic energ, including music ecologically relevant vibration how plants sense vibrations marauding insects mystery to the scientists /