by David Dietsch, Agricultural Systems Management major

Most of us see plants as defenseless organisms, simply growing on this planet to enjoy the sunshine and provide us with quality air, food, and other products. These seemingly quiet things are on a mission however.

Plants aim to reproduce and populate the earth much like humans, and many plant species have developed their own ways to ensure they will live on. Facing a plethora of predators, plants rely on several different combinations of chemical and physical defense mechanisms to protect themselves against animals, insects, and pathogens.

Some notable defenses include growing a dense covering of hair, emitting heart attack inducing toxins, and even attracting predators of predators. That’s right, when being eaten some plants will release a chemical that attracts wasps. Wasps will inject their eggs into the plant predator, killing the pest and bringing birth to a new generation of wasps.

It is amazing what some plants are capable of, even the ones right outside our own doors. The next time you see something growing in the woods or in a field, keep in mind that it may not be as harmless as it looks!

To learn more about the defenses mentioned here and many more, visit:
> How Plants Defend Themselves From Predators
> Self Defense by Plants (CA Ryan and A Jagendorf, 1995, PNAS)

*******
This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.

by Anthony Carelly, Sustainable Plant Systems major

A radiocarbon confirmed 32,000 year old plant was grown setting a new record. Hidden by a squirrel during the Ice Age in Siberia, a Russian team has successfully germinated and produced a Silene stenophylla. The seeds were encased in layers of animal bones 124 feet below the ice. This is absolutely fascinating for a multitude of reasons: that it was possible in the first place given our technological advances; the environmental condition that preserved the seed; the illustration of the potential for storing seeds for tens of thousands of years. I for one would love to see a biodome set up that was dedicated to ancient plants such as this one, and maybe a cloned Velociraptor or two. Of the few seeds the scientist planted, each had similar structures but bloomed differently!

Read more
32,000 Year-Old Plant Brought Back To Life – Oldest Yet
(R. Kaufman, National Geographic News, Feb. 21, 2012)

*******
This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.

Nicotiana alata1By Carl E Lewis (Wikipedia)

by Zachary Foust, Plant Health Management major

Tobacco has an interesting history; from Native American rituals to worldwide use, this once crucial cash crop is typically only associated with cancer nowadays. However, a new study completed at La Trobe University (Australia) has found a cancer-fighting protein in the flowers of the ornamental tobacco plant, Nicotiana alata.

The irony is almost painful.

Don’t run out and grab a pack of 100s yet; the cultivar used for testing is not the kind used to make cigarette tobacco.

The protein, NaD1, is found in the plant’s flowers and it occurs naturally to fight off fungi and bacteria. NaD1 essentially “grabs” a cancerous cell and tears it open. The contents of the cell are released and the cell is destroyed.

Preliminary testing looks promising as it may finally lead to a discriminant form of cancer treatment.

I welcome this finding and hope it leads to a cure for cancer. Not only would radiation be completely unnecessary, the cancer-fighting molecule is derived from a plant.

This discovery should encourage all universities to begin preliminary testing with NaD1. The more people working towards a viable treatment, the faster one may be found.

One concern that should be noted is that the molecule is only produced when the plant is flowering. NaD1 may potentially have a short half-life, especially inside of the human body. This may require repeat treatments and possibly lead to increased rates of cancer returning.

For now, this protein shows great promise and may one day lead to a cure for cancer. Only time will tell.

*******
This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.