A team of U of T Scarborough researchers have discovered that the waxy protective barrier around plants might play a role in sending chemical signals to other plants and insects.
A team of U of T Scarborough researchers have discovered that the waxy protective barrier around plants might play a role in sending chemical signals to other plants and insects.
The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of ScienceOpens an external site and may open a new window, might eventually be harnessed to develop stronger plants that can deal with challenging environmental conditions.
For the study researchers looked at cuticular waxes, a thin layer that plants deposit on their surface to help protect them from losing water. “These waxes act as a physical defense,” says Eliana Gonzales-Vigil, an assistant professor in the department of biology who led the study.
“If plants didn’t have this wax, they would dry out very quickly. It’s the reason you see water drops beading on the surface of leaves. Plants evolved this trait over time when they moved from growing in water to growing on land.”
Read more at University of Toronto
Photo Credit: U of T Scarborough researchers have discovered that the waxy surface protecting plants might hold the key to one day developing stronger crops (Photos by Don Campbell)
