How âmomâ plants teach seeds when to grow - Futurity
â»http://www.futurity.org/plants-seeds-memory-821842
A new study, using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model plant, shows the mother plant senses temperature and forms a long-term temperature memory. These memories then help progeny seeds figure out what time of year it is and modify their germination rates to ensure their growth and development is coordinated with the seasons.
If the mother experiences warmer temperatures, it produces more of a protein called Flowering Locus T (FT) which represses production of tannins in the fruit, making seed coats thinner and more permeable. This means they germinate more quickly.
Conversely, if the mother plant experiences cooler temperatures before flowering, it produces less FT protein and more tannins. Seed coats will be thicker and less permeable and will germinate later. In this way, the mother plant can manipulate seed germination to be optimal for the time of year.