Calcium ions and immune protein ring disaster bells in plants
Researchers from National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) have uncovered how plant cells attacked by insects communicate distress to other cells of the plant. In the first 5-10 minutes after the attack, a spike in calcium levels and the plant immune protein Plant Elicitor Peptide Receptor (PEPR) amplifies the damage signal, as plants brace for insect attack. The findings of this study can pave the way for protecting crops from pests.