The secret messages of plants

Crop traits are being developed that will enable plants to signal when they’re exposed to specific stressors in a way that can be instantly detected by satellite or equipment-based cameras.

Shely Aronov, chief executive officer of InnerPlant, she said this new data layer these crop traits enable will help farmers to become more precise in how they fertilize and treat crops.

“It’s a trait embedded in crops, the first crop is soybean the second will be corn, that can tell us when there’s a fungal infestation. Later on, we’ll do insects and nitrogen deficiency,” Aronov said.

Plants have developed sophisticated systems of signals and responses they use when facing adversity, from insect or fungus attacks to inadequate nitrogen or water.

For instance, when some plants are being eaten by bugs, they produce compounds to make them taste bad. While other plants will put more energy into their root system to better extract nitrogen when they’re deficient in the nutrient.