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If plants and trees can communicate via their root system, do they get lonely in pots?
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Sebastian Leuzinger, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Plants don鈥檛 have 鈥渇eelings鈥� as we know them, because they don鈥檛 have a nervous system. Yet it would be presumptuous to assume that we have a full understanding of all aspects of plant life, particularly how plants communicate.
Plants will definitely experience something like being 鈥渓onely鈥� in pots because they miss out on underground connections. The majority of plants form symbioses with fungi underground, via their roots. Physical connections between the roots of different plants are rarer, although probably more common than once thought. Carbon, nutrients and water can be exchanged through those connections, but a pot plant can easily be given these resources in its container. However, if plant hormones or chemical signals are also being exchanged through this root network, the story looks different. Research on this is still in its infancy.
It is difficult to characterise exactly what an 鈥渋solated鈥� plant is missing out on. However, we know that some tree stumps without any green leaves are kept alive by neighbouring trees from the same species that provide water and nutrients via their interconnected roots. This is something that is definitely out of reach for a solitary plant in a pot.
So, while plants are easily pleased when they have access to sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients, we are far from understanding some of their secrets.
鈥淭ree stumps without leaves can be kept alive by neighbouring trees that provide water and nutrients via their interconnected roots鈥�
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