Decoding Secret Communication Between Plants
5:31 minutes
Plants communicate with one another through their roots, chemical signals, and even networks of fungi. Reporting in Science, plant scientist James Westwood says some parasitic plants can exchange messages on a molecular level with their host. Westwood discusses what these messages might say.
James Westwood is a professor in plant pathology, physiology, and weed science at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Alexa Lim is a senior producer for Science Friday. Her favorite stories involve space, sound, and strange animal discoveries.