Plant Wars
The NY Times article, "This Plant has the Sense of Smell", (Henry Fountain, 10-03) discusses the dodder, a parasitic vine. In a recent study, it was found that the dodder is attuned to airborne chemicals released by its favorite host plants. It is then actually able to grow toward these plants using such chemical cues. This new discovery has many biotech applications, which makes it very intriguing. The plant is being studied so that perhaps crops can be genetically engineered to release a repellent chemical. I am not totally sure how I feel about this process, but we need to approach it with caution. Even with exhaustive studies, it is possible that engineered plant pheromones could adversely affect other plants. Or, the new substances within the plants could be bad for human health. At the same time, increased crop productivity would be welcomed in areas where dodder is just one of several factors that contribute to low yields.