Can plants communicate with one another?

**SPEAKER_1** (0:04)
Can plants communicate with one another?
Thanks for asking.
You might think that plants are silent and passive, but recent studies have shown that they can actually make sounds and send signals to each other, especially when they're stressed or under attack. Researchers at Tel Aviv University recently released their findings from a six-year experiment, which saw them record sounds emitted by certain plants. We've actually known for over 10 years now that plants emit vibrations, but it's the first time that sounds have been detected, meaning it's a groundbreaking find. The Tel Aviv University researchers were able to record clicking sounds made by plants, which were actually at a similar volume to human speech. Interestingly, the types of sounds varied from plant to plant. Why don't we hear plant noise then? It's because it's at too high a frequency for the human ear to detect, within the range of 40 to 80 kHz. But any other creature within 4 or 5 yards would be able to hear them, as long as it can hear ultrasound. The tests saw the plants placed in an acoustic box and recorded using a special microphone. Some were starved of water at times and some were cut, while a control group was left unharmed. The plants tended to make more sounds when under stress, plants which were dehydrated or injured let out dozens of sounds per hour, whereas the control group would emit less than one sound per hour. Researchers manipulated the frequency of the sounds recorded so that they could hear them. They shared them in a video on the Tel Aviv University YouTube channel. Let's listen to what tomato plants sounded like.
And now what grapevine sounded like.
You may be wondering in concrete terms how plants make those sounds. The researchers don't know for sure, but they've speculated it may be down to pressure changing in their stems. Why would plants need to communicate with each other? Most of all, to protect themselves from possible predators. And sounds aren't the only way that plants communicate. They also emit volatile organic compounds or VOCs, which are chemicals that can travel through the air and affect the behaviour of other plants and animals. For example, some plants can release VOCs to attract pollinators, repel herbivores or warn neighbouring plants of danger. What impact could this discovery have on agriculture? If farmers were able to get accurate information from their plants, they would be able to care for them more efficiently. They would know which plants are most in need of water, for example. According to Reader's Digest, that could reduce water expenditure by up to 50% and crop yield would improve significantly. In times of climate change and increasing drought around the world, using water efficiently is more and more critical, both for the environment and for food security. There you have it.
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