Did you know that plants produce their own aspirin to relieve stress?
Plants produce salicylic acid, known as aspirin, to ward off environmental hazards like insects , drought, and heat. Understanding how this process works could help plants survive stress caused by climate change, according to a study.
Although a model plant (Arabidopsis) was studied, understanding how the cells of this plant react to stress could help other plants, such as crops, in the face of global warming.
How plants react to stress
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed in all living organisms in response to environmental stress. For example, when we sunbathe, and we don’t use sunscreen, our skin produces ROS, causing freckles and sunburn.
The problem is that in plants, high levels of ROS could be lethal. But at low levels, it has important functions in plant cells.
They are like emergency calls, allowing the production of protective hormones such as salicylic acid.
In the face of heat, constant sunlight or drought, the sugar production apparatus in plant cells generates a first call, a molecule known as MEccPP. This, in turn, triggers the production of salicylic acid, providing protective actions in cells.
It’s as if plants use pain relievers for aches and pains, just like we do.
How Aspirin Helps Plants
The acid protects plants’ chloroplasts, which are the site of photosynthesis, a process that uses light to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars for energy.
Salicylic acid is helping plants resist stress caused by climate change. If scientists could help plants increase production capacity, they believe they could increase their chances of survival in the future.
What do you think?
