Most of us love the smell of freshly cut grass, I know I do! But that scent isn’t created just for us to enjoy (as lovely as it is), it’s actually how each plant communicates with one another 📞☘️
When a blade of grass gets cut it releases compounds known as ‘green leaf volatiles’ which act as a distress signal by warning other grass that danger is nearby. In response the nearby plants protect themselves by redirecting sugars from the tips of their blades back towards their roots.
The mixture of green leaf volatiles can vary depending on how damage has been caused. When it’s caused by grass eating invertebrates (like larvae) a particular distress signal will alert benificial predators (like birds) to any nearby snacks! 🍽️🐦
Many other plants make use of green leaf volatiles including tomato and tobacco plants, the way they use them varies from plant to plant.
