When it rains, plants experience a state of emergency just like humans

Arabia Weather - Rain is one of the most beautiful and important natural phenomena in our world. It brings life back to dry land, irrigates plants, and contributes to enhancing biodiversity and environmental sustainability, but have you ever wondered how plants react to this weather condition? There can be a surprising similarity between the effect of rain on plants and the human response to emergency conditions.

If we look closely at the behavior of plants during rainfall, we will find that they show similar levels of response and adaptation as humans do when faced with an emergency. In this article, we will take a look at how plants react to rain, and how we can see those responses as a “situation.” Plant emergency.

Plant response to rain

Plants, just like us, need water to survive, but this does not mean that they enjoy rainfall more than we humans do. In a surprising discovery recently published in the scientific journal PNAS, it was shown that plants show a direct response to the onset of rain, similar to the condition of ... "Panic."

We can explain this behavior by understanding the role of water as an essential element in the life of plants. Humidity plays a crucial role in the spread of diseases among plants, and this spread may be more effective than heat. When raindrops collide with plant leaves, some of the water droplets move in different directions, and they may These droplets carry bacteria, viruses or fungal microbes. Thus, a single droplet can transmit these pathogens to neighboring plants over distances of up to ten metres.

Amazingly, we can see this behavior when we liken it to our reaction when someone sneezes at us. This behavior forces us to go on the defensive and take preventive measures to keep ourselves safe.

Genetic and cellular reactions in plants using spray bottles

In a simulation of rainfall using spray bottles, an international scientific team observed the effect of subtle and rapid changes occurring in plants. These changes were stimulated by the protein Myc2, and within the first ten minutes of plants coming into contact with water, More than seven hundred genes respond.

The gene expression rates of these genes increased for about a quarter of an hour, leading to changes in genetic processes, protein production, and hormonal balance. After that, the plants return to their normal state. When water comes into contact with the plants, studies reveal an immediate accumulation of cellular signals, such as calcium, and activate a response. Cellular membranes and transcriptional processes change at the level of the entire genome. Although these changes are instantaneous, repeated exposure of plants to water eventually results in a halt in their growth and an obstruction of their flowering.

Dr. Harvey Millar, a botanist at the University of Western Australia, explains this response by activating “Mik2” triggers many genes to prepare plant defense mechanisms, and these warning signals are transmitted from one leaf to another, and stimulate many protective mechanisms.

In general, it was found that at least twenty genes were targeted and regulated by MEC2 immediately when water spray fell on the plants. What is striking is that the same signals that plants use to transmit information between parts of the plant are the same ones that they use to communicate with neighboring plants.

The effects of jasmonic acid on the interaction of plants with their surrounding environment

In response to drops of water, these plants produce a variety of chemicals, including jasmonic acid , which plays a role in regulating various physiological processes, which contribute to plant growth and its response to environmental conditions.

In addition, when these chemicals are transported through the air, they give other plants in their surroundings the opportunity to sense what is happening in their surroundings, which enables them to adapt better.

Based on these findings, Millar points out that

“Activating defense mechanisms in neighboring plants can reduce the spread of diseases, which is why plants find it beneficial to transmit these warning signals to neighboring plants.”

If you are seeking to protect yourself and adapt to your surroundings, you must take lessons from plants, and in a study published in Bedaya in previous years, it was revealed how plants have evolved to communicate with the world around them when they are exposed to attacks, although rain does not pose a direct threat to plants like organisms. Predators, but sometimes they can cause serious damage, and this causes plants to take protective measures to express a state of danger.

Understanding plants' response to rain as a “plant emergency” highlights the ability of plants to adapt and survive in changing environments. Surprisingly, these responses are very similar to how humans respond to emergency conditions. This reminds us of the importance of maintaining ecological balance and conservation. On the environment to ensure the sustainability of life on planet Earth.

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Sources:

aljazeera