The Internet of Plants (IoP) has evolved from a hobby into a full-time job for many people. As a result, more people dream about owning a home with a thriving ecosystem in their backyard. However, there’s still a lot that’s unknown about the future of IoPs.
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So, What’s the Internet of Plants?
An internet of plants is a virtual global network of plant-based websites and blogs designed to be visually appealing, educational, and informative. Although there are many different types of Internet of plants, we’ll primarily focus on the largest and most active type of plants. The type is famously known as plant-based establishments.
Internet of Plants: These plants are not just your average regular plants and here’s why:
- They can survive without any other living thing as long as there is enough water and sunlight.
- They are fast-growing and rapidly reproduce.
How Do These Plants Communicate?
What does the poinsettia do when it’s too cold for it? How do apple trees react to the first frost? And do the Christmas trees cry when they are cut down? While we don’t know the answers to any of these questions, one thing is clear: plants can communicate more than we can ever comprehend their complex and delicate nature.
Communication in Plants ft. Florianne Koechlin
Florianne Koechlin, a biologist, and chemist from Switzerland has been dealing with the Internet of Plants for years. At a conference on ecological care in Langenlois, she reported on a series of scientifically based experiments on how plants communicate.
Examples of Communication in Plants
- If caterpillars attack a tomato, it warns the others with scents! Later, it produces scents that attract beneficial insects.
- When spider mites come, it produces odors that attract predatory mites.
- The insects come to an apple tree that the winter moth is attacking. Why? Because it produces scents that attract insects.
“It’s a murmur of scents that we don’t understand yet,” says the dedicated plant expert. “Seeing, tasting, smelling, feeling, hearing,” plants can do all that and much more. And there’s enough evidence to back the claim. For example, the sounds of chewing caterpillars were recorded and played to other plants.
In response, these plants began to defend themselves, and vibrations were detected from the caterpillar while other noises like the wind remained constant.
What Does the Structure Look Like?
The underground structure of the Internet of plants is complex. Nevertheless, organic gardeners have been working on these structures for years. In mixed cultures, this practice is commonly known as planting plants so they can support each other.
A scientist demonstrated the concept from Basel: he put millet and flax in a pot – one with Mykhorizza (a type of mushroom) and one without. The results were astonishing with the mushroom pot because the flax was almost twice as big.
Plants Are Subjects, Not Objects
“The millet fed the flax. But, on the other hand, lettuce and marigolds didn’t get along at all,” says Florianne Koechlin, drawing a clear conclusion from this thought experiment and her knowledge on the topic. She concluded that: Plants are subjects, not objects.
They don’t always unwind the same way, but you always learn something new from them. If they are grown in monocultures repeatedly, they become imprudent and forget how to defend themselves.
Therefore, she strictly opposes patents for plants and advocates for the cause: “The dignity of creatures must be protected.” These regulations already exist in Switzerland, as Koechlin even goes so far as to say, “Plants communicate with scents, learn from experience, and can remember. Maybe they are even sentient.”
So it is imperative to preserve old, local (experienced) varieties and defend themselves against genetically modified seeds. It is a wonderful way to preserve the diversity of these creatures.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, the Internet of plants is a thrilling prospect, and we’re eagerly looking forward to more innovative solutions. We hope you enjoyed learning because there’s a lot more where that came from. Subscribe to TV and internet packages that offer value and convenience to keep yourself updated on trendy topics.