Uncle Bud

eCat · Post by **eCat** » Mon Jan 19, 2015 10:58 am

Researchers Have Found That Plants Know They Are Being Eaten

Vegetarians and vegans pay heed: New research shows plants know when they're being eaten. And they don't like it.

That plants possess an intelligence is not new knowledge, but according to Modern Farmer, a new study from the University of Missouri shows plants can sense when they are being eaten and send out defense mechanisms to try to stop it from happening.

The study was carried out on thale cress, or Arabidopsis as it's known scientifically, which is closely related to broccoli, kale, mustard greens, and other siblings of the brassica family and is popular for science experiments. It is commonly used in experiments because it was the first plant to have its genome sequenced, and scientists are intimately familiar with how it works.

Going forward with the question of whether a plant knows it's being eaten, the University of Missouri researchers first took a precise audio recording of the vibrations a caterpillar makes as it eats the thale cress leaves, with the working theory that plants could feel or hear the vibrations in some way.

The researchers controlled the experiment by coming up with other vibrations that simulated other natural vibrations like wind noise that the plant might encounter.

The results? According to Modern Farmer, the thale cress produces mustard oils that are mildly toxic when eaten and sends them throughout its leaves to try to keep the predators away. The research also revealed that when the plants felt or heard "munching vibrations" from the caterpillar, they sent out extra mustard oils. But the plants didn't react when other vibrations were present.

"Previous research has investigated how plants respond to acoustic energy, including music," said Heidi Appel, senior research scientist in the Division of Plant Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and the Bond Life Sciences Center at MU.

"However, our work is the first example of how plants respond to an ecologically relevant vibration. We found that feeding vibrations signal changes in the plant cells' metabolism, creating more defensive chemicals that can repel attacks from caterpillars."

sardis · Post by **sardis** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:17 pm

eCat · Post by **eCat** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 7:24 am

Bklyn · Post by **Bklyn** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:25 am

Both posts are so glorious, I don't even need to comment further.

aTm · Post by **aTm** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 12:30 pm

Fried orca might be delicious.

Bklyn · Post by **Bklyn** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 1:22 pm

Well, everything fried is.

10ac · Post by **10ac** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:23 pm

My wife says if it aint fried it aint cooked.

hedge · Post by **hedge** » Mon Jan 26, 2015 5:13 pm

Pick up lines:

Is that a phone in your pocket? Because that booty sure is calling me...

I'm having a big sale in my bedroom tonight. Yep, all clothes are 100% off...

hedge · Post by **hedge** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:37 am

Even the refs are cracking up...

[youtube]0HI_RzoSgDQ[/youtube]

Jungle Rat · Post by **Jungle Rat** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 5:35 pm

Every time I see the new Audi Pool boy commercial I immediately think of e.

eCat · Post by **eCat** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 6:41 pm

my wife was happy to hear that the woman she thinks wants to have an affair with me was subjected to the after effects of an fart blast in my truck this morning.

I was carrying equipment back and forth from the building we rented to the parking lot and on my last trip back I blasted one and didn't bother to air the truck out. Sure enough, she hopped in without asking me assuming I would take her to the parking lot for to pick up her car.

She was a trooper and stuck it out, but any sexual tension between us has been dissipated by the stench of a egg/sausage/hashbrown after breakfast fart.

hedge · Post by **hedge** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 2:48 pm

Who likes cashews? That is my least favorite nut...

AlabamAlum · Post by **AlabamAlum** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 2:51 pm

Cashews are my favorite to just snack on.

Jungle Rat · Post by **Jungle Rat** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:08 pm

Agreed

hedge · Post by **hedge** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:56 pm

I know lots of people who like them. And I don't hate them, but I will definitely pick around them in a mix, and would never, ever buy them alone...

aTm · Post by **aTm** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:03 pm

We're gonna need a list rating each nut type from best to worst.

AlabamAlum · Post by **AlabamAlum** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:08 pm

Can we all just agree that Brazil Nuts are the worst?

eCat · Post by **eCat** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:17 pm

not a big nut eater - at least by themselves.

Walnuts are good in brownies and cakes, pecans for pecan pie.

I don't even like to eat peanuts that you shell and throw on the floor at bad texas style restaurants.

Bklyn · Post by **Bklyn** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:05 pm

I eat cashews and a piece of fruit if I get home from work after 11pm and don't want to eat any dinner that late. I love them. I'll roll with them raw or roasted.

I don't like hazelnuts. Brazil nuts are more strange for their look and consistency than bad tasting.

Jungle Rat · Post by **Jungle Rat** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:12 pm

I refuse to eat nuts in any type of desert. Makes me gag. Alone as a snack it's fine. Then again so is DSs fiance.

The Goat Pen

Uncle Bud

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