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Underground electrotonic signal transmission between plants.
Alexander G Volkov1, Yuri B Shtessel2
1Department of Chemistry, Oakwood University, Huntsville, AL, USA.
Communicative & Integrative Biology
|May 13, 2020
Summary
Plants transmit electrical signals through soil, enabling underground communication. Electrostimulation reveals how these electrical signals travel between plants, offering insights into the plant-wide web.
Area of Science:
- Plant signaling and communication
- Plant electrophysiology
- Bioelectricity
Background:
- Plants utilize various underground pathways for communication, including mycorrhizal networks, rhizosphere interactions, and chemical signaling.
- Electrical signal transmission through soil represents a less explored but significant communication channel.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate electrical signal transmission between plants using electrostimulation.
- To evaluate the role of electrical signals in underground plant communication.
- To assess the applicability of a mathematical model for predicting electrical signal transmission.
Main Methods:
- Electrostimulation of *Aloe vera* and cabbage plants using Ag/AgCl or platinum wires to connect pots.
- Measuring electrotonic potentials in stimulated and neighboring plants.
- Utilizing a previously developed mathematical model for simulation and prediction.
Main Results:
- Electrostimulation induced electrotonic potentials in both directly stimulated and neighboring plants, irrespective of plant type.
- The characteristics of electrotonic potentials were dependent on the applied voltage parameters.
- The study confirmed electrical signal transmission as a viable underground plant communication mechanism.
Conclusions:
- Electrical signals play a crucial role in underground plant communication networks.
- Electrostimulation is a valuable tool for studying plant-to-plant electrical signaling.
- The developed mathematical model can predict electrical signal transmission within and between diverse plant species.
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