Ada Genavia
Apr 23, 2012

How plants make the 'decision' between growth and defense

Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have discovered how plants can make the 'decision' between growth and defense, a finding that could help them strike a balance -- keeping safe from harm while still continuing to grow. When a plant goes into defense mode in order to protect itself against harsh weather or disease, that’s good for the plant. However, it turns off its growth mechanism, which is problematic for the farmer. Sheng Yang He, an MSU professor of plant biology, and his team found that the two hormones that control growth (called gibberellins) and defense (known as jasmonates) literally come together in a crisis and figure out what to do. “Perhaps at some point we can genetically or chemically engineer the plants so they don’t talk to each other that much,” he said. “This way we may be able to increase yield and defense at the same time.” Plants acts as humans in this way; we only have a certain amount of energy to use, and we have to make wise choices on how to use it.

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