Do houseplants die … with a whimper?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Wilting leaves warn us too late. Farmers need earlier alerts. Could plants be… audible?
Enter Lilach Hadany and Yossi Yovel at Tel Aviv University.
Their team set up microphones by tomato and tobacco plants. When thirsty, or after a stem was cut, the plants produced tiny, ultrasonic clicks.
These clicks are imperceptible to humans, but not for computers.
Plus, they can distinguish between plants and tell what stresses they are experiencing. Of course, a very quiet greenhouse was needed for this study!
If plants could “speak up,” farmers could learn to listen for trouble.
Me, I don’t wanna know what my Ficus thinks.
Reference: Khait, I., Lewin-Epstein, O., Sharon, R., Saban, K., Goldstein, R., Anikster, Y., Zeron, Y., Agassy, C., Nizan, S., Sharabi, G., Perelman, R., Boonman, A., Sade, N., Yovel, Y., & Hadany, L. (2023). Sounds emitted by plants under stress are airborne and informative. Cell, 186(7), 1328–1336.e10.