Talking Plants: Bugs vs. Jasmonate Activation

[Fisherman]

There is hope !
Suddenly I have this urge to just stand in place and . well ............... not even breathe so as to not inhale and drown any microbes or anything

 

[deluxestogie]

Here's One for the Bugs

A new study co-authored by a University of Florida researcher shows hawkmoths use sonic pulses from their genitals to respond to bats producing the high-frequency sounds, possibly as a self-defense mechanism to jam the echolocation ability of their predators.

Hawkmoths are among the fastest and most proficient flying insects, and more than 1,400 species occur worldwide. Their long proboscis, or mouthpart, makes them important pollinators, since many plants may only be pollinated by hawkmoths.

"We think hawkmoths are a primary food source for bats because none appear to be chemically defended, which is why they have evolved anti-bat ultrasound strategies,"

http://phys.org/news/2013-07-hawkmoths-ultrasound-combat.html

While this study did not specifically identify this mechanism in tobacco hornworm moths (Manduca sexta), the trait may be common in the moth species of the hawkmoth family.

Bob

 

[BarG]

I think they just like to lay tobacco cause they can.

 

[deluxestogie]

Treating seedlings with snail slime water makes them less palatable

At least some plants--in this study, black mustard--produce unpalatable chemicals in response to snails. Treating a seedling with slime water reduces snail predation of the plant.

...let the snails crawl around overnight on a piece of filter paper lining the bottom of a small plastic deli container, then wash the filter paper and use the resulting slime water to treat the...plants.

http://phys.org/news/2013-08-eavesdropping.html

Bob