Farting plants kick up a stink if irked

• Autores: Michael Le Page
• Localización: New scientist, ISSN 0262-4079, Nº. 3055, 2016, pág. 12
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Rabi Musah of the University at Albany in New York has discovered a previously unknown defense mechanism in plants: roots that actively release a nasty smell when they sense the touch of a potential threat. Many plants are famed for their putrid smells, and it has been known for decades that unpleasant sulfurous odors are released when soil is disturbed around the roots of some plants--including members of the Mimosa genus. Until now, it has been assumed that these odors are released passively as a result of tissue damage, like when a bay leaf is crushed or onions are cut with a knife. But Musah has found that the roots of some species actively release their foul smell