Plants could soon 'talk' to farmers - and listen too

Imagine walking through a field where plants could tell farmers when they’re thirsty. Imagine farmers signaling back, warning their crops about an incoming dry spell so they could start conserving water. This idea, once confined to science fiction, is now a growing reality.

Researchers at the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS) at Cornell University have taken a huge step toward making plant communication a two-way street.

The team’s latest study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, unlocks a century-old mystery about how plants internally signal stress.

This breakthrough offers new possibilities for developing plants that not only “talk” to people but also respond to specific environmental cues.

Plants talk through signals

Inside every plant, negative pressure holds water within its stems, roots, and leaves. This balance keeps them healthy, especially during dry conditions.

When stressors disturb this pressure, it sets off a movement in the plant’s internal fluids. These motions then carry mechanical and chemical signals throughout the plant to help restore balance.

“We are trying to build a foundational knowledge of understanding how communication in plants happens,” said Vesna Bacheva, a postdoctoral associate at CROPPS and a Schmidt Science Fellow.

“Our framework provides a mechanistic understanding of what drives signals from one place to another and explains how mechanical and chemical signals could propagate.”

Bacheva works alongside Abe Stroock, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Margaret Frank, associate professor of plant biology.

“It’s a very important step forward in an area that is surprisingly nascent in terms of true mechanistic understanding,” noted Stroock.

Solving a mystery from over 100 years ago

Scientists have long debated how plants send distress signals. Some believed they used hormones or chemicals, while others thought mechanical forces were at play. Until now, a clear answer remained elusive.

The Cornell team developed a predictive model that explains how pressure changes within a plant can transmit both mechanical and chemical signals. Their work shows that the plant’s vascular system – a series of pressurized tubes – plays a key role.

When a plant is wounded, such as when a caterpillar chews on a leaf, the pressure changes. This shift can cause a mass flow of water that carries stress chemicals to distant parts of the plant. These chemicals might, for example, prompt the plant to produce a toxic acid that fends off insects.

Pressure, calcium, and defense responses

Beyond carrying chemicals, pressure changes might also open mechanosensitive channels near the plant’s vasculature.

When these channels open, they release ions like calcium. A surge of calcium, known as a calcium flux, could trigger defensive genes to activate.

The team’s findings suggest a coordinated system in which mechanical forces and chemical signals work hand in hand. This discovery gives scientists new tools to think about how to enhance plants’ natural defenses.

Plants that talk and listen

“We are trying to develop reporter plants that will tell us what they’re experiencing at the moment,” Bacheva said. These experimental organisms might change color when they are thirsty. Others might glow under special lights when they experience stress.

The vision doesn’t stop there. Future systems could allow farmers to send signals to their crops. For example, a farmer could alert plants about upcoming dry conditions, prompting them to ration their water.

“We’re at a point at CROPPS where we are simultaneously investigating the molecular biology, biophysics, engineering design and integration toward agronomic reality with brand-new concepts and technologies,” Stroock said.

A step toward smarter, healthier farms

The ability for plants to send and receive signals opens up exciting possibilities for farming. If they can tell farmers exactly when they need help, it could lead to healthier crops and less wasted resources.

Farmers might be able to act faster, water more efficiently, and protect them before problems get worse.

The researchers hope this new understanding will inspire even more ways to connect with plants in the future. As the science moves forward, the dream of truly smart, responsive farms – where plants and people work together – feels closer than ever.

The full study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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