The seeds of the plant are fantastic structures. Some are barely visible to the naked eye, and others are the size of soccer balls. Some can fly, and some have to be eaten in order to spread. If the seeds are kept cool, dark, and dry, they will often remain viable for germination for years. This is ensured by growth-inhibiting phytohormones, which control the timing of germination. This is important because the survival of the young plant depends on it. If it gets too cold, it dies. If there is a lack of nutrients, it fades away. A Swiss team led by scientists from the University of Geneva has identified a seed’s internal thermometer, which can delay or even prevent germination when temperatures are too high for potential seedlings. Report it In the journal Nature Communications..
The group, led by Luis Lopez Molina, professor of plant sciences at the University of Geneva, investigated the antibacterial mechanisms of V Arabidopsis thalianaa type of plant belonging to the cruciferous (cabbage) and is used as a model organism in many research projects. To understand the revealing mechanisms behind thermal inhibition, the scientists examined already well-understood phenomena in very young plants. It is possible, according to the idea, to be similar to the processes that are searched for in seeds.
In fact, even young plants are aware of temperature changes. If it gets warmer, the stalk will grow faster. This adaptation is similar to a plant’s reaction when it is in the shade of another plant: it lengthens to escape the shade. These mechanisms are triggered by a light- and temperature-sensitive protein, phytochrome b, which normally acts as a plant growth brake. If the temperature rises by 1 to 2 degrees, phytochrome b is inactivated more quickly, slowing plant growth to a lesser degree.
“Alcohol buff. Troublemaker. Introvert. Student. Social media lover. Web ninja. Bacon fan. Reader.”