A scientist from Virginia Tech has discovered a way that plants communicate with each other at the molecular level. The research could provide a way to fight parasitic weeds that attack food crops, says the university. Plant pathology professor Jim Westwood examined how dodder, a parasite, attacked tomatoes and another host plant. The parasite uses an appendage, called a haustorium, to penetrate host plants and suck moisture and nutrients from them. Westwood learned the haustorium also transports so-called messenger RNA between the plants.
It is possible the parasite uses the messenger RNA to tell the host plant to allow the attack. Westwood plans more research on the subject. The discovery could have applications for bacteria and fungi.