Plant sensitivity

On Thursday, 29 August, Stefan Caddy-Retalic of University of Adelaide was interviewed on ABC 891 Radio Adelaide’s segment “The Producer’s Challenge” with Nikolai Beilharz. This time, Stefan addressed an intriguing listener question: Can plants feel pain?

The short answer is no. Unlike animals, plants lack nerves and brains, so they don't experience pain in the way we do. However, Stefan explained that plants do have sophisticated ways to respond to stress and damage:

• Chemical Signals: When plants are attacked by herbivores, they might release volatile chemicals. These chemicals can deter the herbivores or attract predators that help fend off the attackers. Nearby plants can also pick up on these signals and enhance their own defensive responses.
• Ultrasonic Bursts: Plants produce ultrasonic sounds when stressed, though these sounds are beyond human hearing. Other animals, however, can detect these bursts, which can play a role in their interactions with the plants.

Stefan’s insights help deepen our understanding of plant behaviour and their complex responses to environmental challenges.