Communication in Plants. Mechanisms for Signal Perception, Emission, and Possible Physiological/Ecological Roles

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 13715

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Interests: plant acoustics; biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs); plant communication; VOC effects on human health
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Guest Editor
Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Interests: microalgae; BVOCs; plant communication; application of yeast in organic synthesis; biocatalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Interests: antibiotics; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobials; microbial molecular biology; bacterial antibiotic resistance; bacteriology; antibacterial activity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants can perceive and emit many types of signals, from volatile organic compounds to acoustic, magnetic, and electrical signals, among others, through which they can communicate with each other or with organisms not belonging to the plant kingdom. They can also communicate through touch or light, take advantage of mycorrhizal networks, discriminate neighbors with respect to kin- and self-recognition, and even possibly distinguish whether neighbors are members of their own species.

The Special Issue of Plants on “Communication in Plants. Mechanisms for Signal Perception, Emission, and Possible Physiological/Ecological Roles” welcomes the submission of review and research papers or short communications on topics related to the generation, perception, integration and processing of the communication signals used by plants—at the biophysical, biomolecular, physiological, or ecological level—to communicate among themselves and to interact with other organisms.

Prof. Dr. Laura Arru
Prof. Dr. Luca Forti
Prof. Dr. Moreno Bondi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plant communication
  • plant interactions
  • plant acoustics
  • (electro)magnetic signal
  • sound perception
  • sound vibration
  • volatile organic compounds
  • thigmomorphogenesis
  • social biology

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3731 KiB  
Article
Talking Different Languages: The Role of Plant–Plant Communication When an Invader Beats up a Strange Neighborhood
by Rea Maria Hall, Dimitrije Markovic, Hans-Peter Kaul, Helmut Wagentristl, Bernhard Urban, Nora Durec, Katharina Renner-Martin and Velemir Ninkovic
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3298; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183298 - 18 Sep 2023
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Abstract
Communication through airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and root exudates plays a vital role in the multifarious interactions of plants. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemesiifolia L.) is one of the most troublesome invasive alien species in agriculture. Below- and aboveground chemical interactions of [...] Read more.
Communication through airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and root exudates plays a vital role in the multifarious interactions of plants. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemesiifolia L.) is one of the most troublesome invasive alien species in agriculture. Below- and aboveground chemical interactions of ragweed with crops might be an important factor in the invasive species’ success in agriculture. In laboratory experiments, we investigated the contribution of intra- and interspecific airborne VOCs and root exudates of ragweed to its competitiveness. Wheat, soybean, and maize were exposed to VOCs emitted from ragweed and vice versa, and the adaptation response was measured through plant morphological and physiological traits. We observed significant changes in plant traits of crops in response to ragweed VOCs, characterized by lower biomass production, lower specific leaf area, or higher chlorophyll contents. After exposure to ragweed VOCs, soybean and wheat produced significantly less aboveground dry mass, whereas maize did not. Ragweed remained unaffected when exposed to VOCs from the crops or a conspecific. All crops and ragweed significantly avoided root growth toward the root exudates of ragweed. The study shows that the plant response to either above- or belowground chemical cues is highly dependent on the identity of the neighbor, pointing out the complexity of plant–plant communication in plant communities. Full article
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19 pages, 6720 KiB  
Article
Plant–Insect Interactions on Aquatic and Terrestrial Angiosperms from the Latest Albian (Early Cretaceous) of Estercuel (Northeastern Spain) and Their Paleoenvironmental Implications
by Artai A. Santos, Luis M. Sender, Torsten Wappler and José B. Diez
Plants 2023, 12(3), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030508 - 22 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2775
Abstract
Fossils of plant–insect interactions are direct evidence of paleoecological relationships between these two dominant groups in terrestrial ecosystems. We present a variety of plant–insect interactions from the late Early Cretaceous (latest Albian) in the Estercuel locality in northeastern Spain (Iberian Peninsula), affecting two [...] Read more.
Fossils of plant–insect interactions are direct evidence of paleoecological relationships between these two dominant groups in terrestrial ecosystems. We present a variety of plant–insect interactions from the late Early Cretaceous (latest Albian) in the Estercuel locality in northeastern Spain (Iberian Peninsula), affecting two types of terrestrial angiosperms and the basal eudicot Klitzschophyllites, which is one of the oldest putative members of aquatic Ranunculales found to date. The study of these interactions revealed 23 different damage types belonging to eight functional feeding groups (hole feeding, margin feeding, skeletonization, surface feeding, piercing and sucking, mining, oviposition and galling), suggesting these angiosperms were an important source of food and lodging for insects in the Iberian ecosystems during the late Early Cretaceous. Notably, the diversity of damage in the leaves of angiosperms suggests a diverse community of herbivorous insects and a variety of strategies of interactions with plants at the end of the Early Cretaceous in the southwestern Tethys realm. Full article
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Review

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13 pages, 284 KiB  
Review
Is There a Role for Sound in Plants?
by Filippo Del Stabile, Vittoria Marsili, Luca Forti and Laura Arru
Plants 2022, 11(18), 2391; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11182391 - 14 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7189
Abstract
Plants have long been considered passive, static, and unchanging organisms, but this view is finally changing. More and more knowledge is showing that plants are aware of their surroundings, and they respond to a surprising variety of stimuli by modifying their growth and [...] Read more.
Plants have long been considered passive, static, and unchanging organisms, but this view is finally changing. More and more knowledge is showing that plants are aware of their surroundings, and they respond to a surprising variety of stimuli by modifying their growth and development. Plants extensively communicate with the world around them, above and below ground. Although communication through mycorrhizal networks and Volatile Organic Compounds has been known for a long time, acoustic perception and communication are somehow a final frontier of research. Perhaps surprisingly, plants not only respond to sound, they actually seem to emit sound as well. Roots emit audible clicks during growth, and sounds are emitted from xylem vessels, although the nature of these acoustic emissions still needs to be clarified. Even more interesting, there is the possibility that these sounds carry information with ecological implications, such as alerting insects of the hydration state of a possible host plant, and technological implications as well. Monitoring sound emissions could possibly allow careful monitoring of the hydration state of crops, which could mean significantly less water used during irrigation. This review summarizes the current knowledge on sound perception communication in plants and illustrates possible implications and technological applications. Full article
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