Plant sensitivity

A plant being put into soil with two hands

On Thursday, 29 August, of 成人大片 was interviewed on ABC 891 Radio Adelaide鈥檚 segment 鈥淭he Producer鈥檚 Challenge鈥 with . This time, Stefan addressed an intriguing listener question: Can plants feel pain?

The short answer is no. Unlike animals, plants lack nerves and brains, so they don't experience pain in the way we do. However, Stefan explained that plants do have sophisticated ways to respond to stress and damage:

  • Chemical Signals: When plants are attacked by herbivores, they might release volatile chemicals. These chemicals can deter the herbivores or attract predators that help fend off the attackers. Nearby plants can also pick up on these signals and enhance their own defensive responses.
  • Ultrasonic Bursts: Plants produce ultrasonic sounds when stressed, though these sounds are beyond human hearing. Other animals, however, can detect these bursts, which can play a role in their interactions with the plants.

Stefan鈥檚 insights help deepen our understanding of plant behaviour and their complex responses to environmental challenges.听

Tagged in plant science, radio interview, biodiversity, climate science, research, Stefan Caddy
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