Can we give plants advance warning of dangers by ‘talking’ to them?

Using light as a messenger, the researchers are developing tools that enable plants to communicate with humans, and humans to communicate with plants

Research has shown that a plant’s natural defence mechanism can be activated by using light (John Walton/PA)

It may be possible to “talk” to plants and warn them of impending attacks or extreme weather, new research suggests

A team of plant scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) would like to turn this science “fiction” into reality by using light-based messaging to communicate with plants.