Plant Communication: How Plants Converse and Cope Up

Abstract

The sessile nature of plants forces them to coexist with and adapt to both biotic and abiotic factors present around them for survival. Recent findings indicate that plants communicate with their neighbours, which is important for their survival and reproduction. Even though they are known to respond to environmental cues and mechanical stimulations like gravity, light, water, temperature, pressure, and touch, a response to another plant’s signal is inconspicuous. Research on plant communication has revealed many ways plants communicate with themselves and even with members of different kingdoms. Plants exposed to biotic or abiotic stresses emit signals that are perceived by neighboring, unstressed plants, thereby triggering defense responses comparable to those induced in the originally challenged individuals. The signals developed in response to an encounter include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrical signals, proteins, peptides, amino acids, microRNAs, hormones, and acoustic signals. Major adaptive responses are reported in plants at the genome level due to the intra- and inter-kingdom communication of plants. While several recent reviews focus extensively on specific topics such as VOC-mediated or mycorrhiza-mediated interactions, other equally important aspects relevant to plant communication have been insignificantly represented. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of all known mechanisms through which plants interact with their surroundings. Special emphasis has been placed on highlighting topics that have received less attention in the literature, while offering detailed insights into already well-established areas. © The New York Botanical Garden 2025.