Fukano Yuya
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1, Midoricho, Nishitokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Proc Biol Sci. 2017 Mar 15;284(1850). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2650.
Movement and growth habit of climbing plants have attracted attention since the time of Charles Darwin; however, there are no reports on whether plants can choose suitable hosts or avoid unsuitable ones based on chemoreception. Here, I show that the tendrils of (Vitaceae) appear to avoid conspecific leaves using contact chemoreception for oxalates, which are highly concentrated in leaves. The coiling experiments show that has a flexible plastic response to avoid coiling around conspecific leaves. The coiling response is negatively correlated with the oxalate content in the contacted leaves. Experiments using laboratory chemicals indicate that the tendrils avoid oxalate-coated plastic sticks. These results indicate that the tendrils of avoid coiling around a conspecific leaf based on contact chemoreception for oxalate compounds. The tendrils of climbing plants may function as a chemoreceptor system to detect the chemical cues of a contacted plant.
自查尔斯·达尔文时代起，攀缘植物的运动和生长习性就备受关注；然而，尚无关于植物是否能基于化学感受选择合适宿主或避开不合适宿主的报道。在此，我表明葡萄科植物的卷须似乎利用对草酸盐的接触化学感受来避开同种植物的叶子，草酸盐在葡萄科植物叶子中高度浓缩。缠绕实验表明，葡萄科植物具有灵活的可塑性反应，以避免缠绕在同种植物的叶子上。缠绕反应与被接触叶子中的草酸盐含量呈负相关。使用实验室化学物质进行的实验表明，卷须会避开涂有草酸盐的塑料棒。这些结果表明，葡萄科植物的卷须基于对草酸盐化合物的接触化学感受，避免缠绕在同种植物的叶子上。攀缘植物的卷须可能作为一种化学感受器系统，来检测被接触植物的化学信号。
