Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Eva <eva@whitepineisland.com>]

Plants show preference for relatives

....

If the sea rocket detects unrelated plants growing in the ground with 
it, the plant aggressively sprouts nutrient-grabbing roots. But if it 
detects family, it politely restrains itself.

The finding is a surprise, even a bit of a shock, in part because most 
animals have not even been shown to have the ability to recognize 
relatives, despite the huge advantages in doing so.

If an individual can identify kin, it can help them, an evolutionarily 
sensible act because relatives share some genes. The same discriminating 
organism could likewise ramp up nasty behavior against unrelated 
individuals with which it is most sensible to be in claws- or perhaps 
thorns-bared competition.

“I’m just amazed at what we’ve found,” said Susan A. Dudley, an 
evolutionary plant ecologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, 
Ontario, who carried out the study with a graduate student, Amanda L. File.

“Plants,” Dr. Dudley said, “have a secret social life.”

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/science/10plant.html

Tradingpost wrote:
> Spiritual level? The best way to connect with the land is to get your hands in the dirt. 
>
> Myself, I don't talk to plants. I just try to give them all they need to be happy  ... however I do believe they talk to each other through subtle biochemical signals. 
>
> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>
> On 1/18/2010 at 12:21 PM Harvey Ussery wrote:
>
>   
..