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How plants defend themselves - Coggle Diagram
How plants defend themselves
Several examples
Stinging nettles
mixture of histamine and other toxins
Spinach, kiwi fruit, pineapple, fuchsia, rhubarb
Microscopic needle-shaped crystals called raphides
Kidney bean plants
Sport tiny hooks
Mimosa plants
The buildup of charge draws water out of the cells
Shrivel, pulling the leaflet closed
Tomato plants
physical and chemical defences
To repel the attacking insects
Can signal other plants by releasing compounds
Cotton plants
Release chemicals into the air
Attracts parasitic wasps that lay eggs inside the caterpillars
cocktail of 10 to 12 chemicals
Attacked by caterpillars
Internal and external defences
Painful structures II
Some leaves can have sharp-like structures
Trichomes
Surface
Hard to chew
Highly impermeable to pathogens
The bark is full of lignin
The leaves
Waxy cuticle to deter insects and microbes
Chemical irritants
Some trichomes can dispense chemical irritants
Stinging nettles
Painful structures I
Spines
Prickles
Thorns
Tp discourage bigger herbivores
A delayed pain
Some plants have microscopic needle-shaped crystals
Raphides
Tiny wounds inside the animals' mouth
Entry point for toxins
Spinach, kiwi fruit, pineapple, fuchsia, rhubarb
Movement
Specialized mechanoreceptor cells
They detect touch
Mimosa plant
They shoot an electrical signal through leaflet to its base
Cells release charged particles
Buildup of charge = water out of cells = shrivel= leaflet to close
Plants' immune system
Response of the immune system
Battery of defensive maneuvers
Specialized receptors = recognise molecules= danger
Some cells = self-destruct
Every cell = detect and defend themselves
Guard cells = seal up pores
Waxy cuticle = thicker + stronger
Many molecules used for drugs/med/seasonings
As part of plants' immune systems
Antimicrobial + insecticidal
Signals
Hormones
Airborne compound
Electrical signals
Plant = alert other regions
Example of cotton plants
Area under attack
Defenceless?
Sturdy armor
Well-shocked chemical arsenal
No claws, no teeth
Cross-species alliances
Can't flee the scene of attack
Threats
Bacteria
Small herbivores
grasshoppers
caterpillars
Aphids
Fungi
Large herbivores
Koalas
Tortoises
Elephants