![corn.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSFSte9GB6CGe9qZUYDR15aoiLUu6CeaoawW1o6JQCLap/corn.jpg) **

As confirmed by scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, plants indeed communicate between each other, using chemical signals underground whenever they're exposed to stress

** Velemir Ninkovic and his colleagues from SUAS studied corn seedlings planted closely together in a field trial, and confirmed they were sending „chemical messages” through the soil, that impacted growth patterns of their relatives nearby. These signals took forms of exudates (carbon-based molecules) secreted by the roots, which plants in the vicinity were able to read. The underlying information encoded in these secretions was the identity of the species, which let the other plants understand if they were growing next to their siblings or outsiders. The exchange of signals was provoked by brushing the corn leaves as a way of leaf touch simulation, which led to the chemicals being released, that were carefully collected afterwards, and injected into the medium, where new seedlings were planted. The latter ones responded by assigning the nutrient solution into leaf growth instead of root system expansion. The researchers also tested „biochemical awareness” of corn seedlings by planting them in two different growth solutions, affected by stressing and nonaffected respectively. This experiment clearly showed two very different growth patterns. ![fungal_network.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmWKWEq5CbpftvqXon4ShBc2wNc9ft5BcZrJTkDDTHhEsD/fungal_network.jpg) The roots of the plants were growing normally in a medium enriched with samples from untouched plants, but didn't show the same vigour in a medium containing secretions from the touched ones. The whole experiment has proven that even slightest disturbances of above-ground growth resulted in change of content of communication, which in turn pushed the plants to shift their energy management and growth strategies. It's another successful study focusing on plant communication, that for many decades stayed under the radar, and only recently started getting untangled. Plants do not possess nervous systems like the animals do, so they are not able to exchange rapid electric signals. Instead they employ subtle, biochemical communication often via various microorganisms such as mycorrhizal fungi, which liaison between them.

**Source:** Elhakeem A, Markovic D, Broberg A, Anten NPR, Ninkovic V (2018) *Aboveground mechanical stimuli affect belowground plant-plant communication*. [PLoS ONE 13(5): e0195646.](doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195646) **Photo credits:** [CropLife](http://www.croplife.com/editorial/launching-new-seed-traits-wait-on-china-or-else/) & [International Pest Control](https://international-pest-control.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Underground-fungal-networks-580.jpg) 🌿 🌿 🌿 🌿 🌿**

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As confirmed by scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, plants indeed communicate between each other, using chemical signals underground whenever they're exposed to stress

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