Herbivory-induced green leaf volatiles increase plant performance through jasmonate-dependent plant–soil feedbacks
Plants influence each other chemically by releasing leaf volatiles and root exudates, but whether and how these two phenomena interact remains unknown. A new study demonstrates for the first time that volatiles trigger plant-soil feedbacks that improve agricultural yield. Detailed molecular analyses reveal that this process operates through broadly conserved defence signalling mechanisms and across different plant species. This discovery expands the repertoire of biologically relevant plant–plant interactions in space and time and holds promise for resource-efficient, sustainable agriculture.
Lingfei Hu, Jamie M. Waterman, Christelle A. M. Robert, Meng Ye, Matthias Erb