Tomatoes talk, birch trees learn – do plants have dignity? | Florianne Koechlin | TEDxZurich

Summary

The TEDx Zurich talk unveils the astonishing communication skills of plants, highlighting how they use fragrances to warn neighbors of pests and attract beneficial insects. The speaker, an author, explores the complex underground networks of plants and their ability to remember and learn from past events, challenging the traditional view of plants as passive beings. The talk raises questions about the ethics of plant treatment and the potential for a more harmonious agricultural system that respects their social and cognitive abilities.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Plants communicate using fragrances to warn each other of pests and attract beneficial insects.
• 🚫 Female researchers were advised against wearing Chanel No. 5 to avoid confusing the tomato plants with the scent of predators.
• 🔍 Tomato plants can identify the type of predator attacking them by tasting their saliva and produce specific fragrances to attract the appropriate predatory insects.
• 🍎 Apple trees, when attacked by caterpillars, release fragrances to attract birds that can help control the pest population.
• 🌳 All plants communicate with each other using thousands of identified fragrance compounds, indicating a complex vocabulary.
• 🌱 Plants can perceive more than 20 environmental signals, including smell, taste, touch, sight, sound, and electromagnetic waves.
• 🌿 Underground, plants form a vast network called mycorrhiza, facilitating nutrient and information exchange among them.
• 🌳 Some plants, like marigolds, use the mycorrhizal network to release toxins to inhibit the growth of other plants, indicating a competitive aspect of plant communication.
• 📚 Plants can remember past events and learn from them, as demonstrated by the tomato plant's faster and more efficient response to a second attack by caterpillars.
• 🌱 Birch trees have been found to remember events for up to four years, suggesting a form of plant memory.
• 🌱 The Swiss constitution recognizes the dignity of living beings, including plants, which has led to discussions on the ethical treatment of plants and their dignity.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the TEDx Zurich talk?

The main topic of the talk is the communication and networking skills of plants, particularly focusing on the tomato plant and its ability to interact with its environment and other plants.

How does a tomato plant communicate when it is under attack by caterpillars?

When a tomato plant is attacked by caterpillars, it produces leaf toxins and releases a cloud of fragrances, specifically methyl jasmonate, to warn neighboring plants to start their defense mechanisms.

Why were female researchers instructed not to wear Chanel No. 5 during the experiment?

Female researchers were told not to wear Chanel No. 5 because the fragrance contains methyl jasmonate, which could confuse the tomato plants and interfere with the experiment.

How does a tomato plant attract beneficial insects for its defense?

The tomato plant produces different scents, or fragrance cocktails, to attract beneficial insects such as predatory mites or parasitic wasps, depending on the type of attacker it is facing.

How does the tomato plant identify the specific type of insect attacking it?

The tomato plant can identify the type of insect by tasting the saliva of the insect, which allows it to produce the appropriate fragrance to attract the right bodyguard insects.

What is the term used to describe the underground network of roots and fungi?

The term used to describe the underground network of roots and fungi is 'mycorrhiza,' which refers to the association between fungi and plant roots.

What is the 'wood wide web' and how is it related to plant communication?

The 'wood wide web' is a term used to describe the mycorrhizal network that connects trees and plants underground, allowing them to exchange nutrients and information, similar to the way the internet connects people and devices.

How do plants communicate with each other about environmental signals?

Plants can perceive about 20 environmental signals and communicate with each other through the mycorrhizal network, warning each other of danger and coordinating their behavior.

What is the concept of 'plant dignity' as discussed in the Swiss constitution?

The concept of 'plant dignity' in the Swiss constitution refers to the idea that plants have a value of their own, independent of human interests, and should not be harmed in an arbitrary way.

What does the speaker suggest as potential implications of understanding plant communication?

The speaker suggests that understanding plant communication could lead to better agricultural practices, such as using plant fragrances to warn of attacks, boosting plant immune systems, and developing mixed cultures that support plant communication and social context.

Why did the speaker's report on plant dignity win the Ig Nobel Prize?

The speaker's report on plant dignity won the Ig Nobel Prize because it addressed a topic that was considered peculiar and thought-provoking, leading to laughter and subsequent reflection on the ethical treatment of plants.