Causes and Solutions for Plant Fevers

 Why Plants May Develop Fevers

Plants, like humans, can get a fever. Belgian researchers at Ghent University have discovered in a groundbreaking experiment that plants, like humans, can also get a fever.

It was previously thought that only humans and animals could increase their body temperature to fight off infection, with fever killing germs more quickly. However, an experiment on lily plants led to a genuinely unexpected discovery: plants can also get a fever. This revelation challenges our understanding of plant biology and opens up a new realm of possibilities, sparking intrigue and engagement among the readers.

The researchers meticulously used tobacco mosaic viruses to infect lily plants in the lab. The experiment was conducted with the utmost care and control, with the plants kept separate from any external factors that might have influenced the results. The researchers monitored the plants' temperature changes using thermal imaging cameras, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the findings.

After about 30 hours, the leaves began showing circular heat areas using thermal imaging cameras. These areas were generally one or two degrees warmer than other parts of the plant.

How can plant fever spread?

On the underside of the leaves are stomata, which control gas exchange and plant respiration.

Water evaporates through these openings, cooling the plant and regulating its temperature.

Like the tulips in the experiment, diseased plants release salicylic acid, which keeps the stomata closed. When these stomata are closed, water cannot evaporate to provide cooling, leading to an increase in temperature. This process is similar to how a human fever works, with the plant's immune system responding to the infection.

The plants overheat and become feverish, but not all their stomata are closed.

Only the affected leaves see an increase in their salicylic acid content. As a result, only the diseased leaves heat up and decompose, along with the rest of the leaves.

Plants do not use heat to fight disease but may use it to melt snow or warm nectar for pollinators.

My article, Heat Generation in Plants, includes all this groundbreaking information, including its potential applications. This work offers a glimpse into the exciting future of plant biology, where we may be able to harness plant fever for beneficial purposes, instilling a sense of hope and excitement about the future of plant biology.