• Ferns communicate directional cues to embryos using mechanical pressure, not chemical signals. • Pressure applied at specific sites tells the embryo which side is up. • This guidance determines where roots and leaves will develop in the developing plant. • Research on Ceratopteris richardii revealed the mechanical signaling mechanism in embryonic development. • Ph.D. candidate Sjoerd Woudenberg led the study at Wageningen University. • Findings highlight evolution of non-verbal communication in plants across diverse species.
Article Summaries:
- Passing on fundamental life lessons from parent to offspring is not unique to humans and animals. Ferns do it too. Not with words, but through pressure. By applying force at precisely the right locations, a fern tells its embryo what is up and what is down, and therefore where roots and leaves should develop. This phenomenon was discovered by Ph.D. candidate Sjoerd Woudenberg in his research on the fern Ceratopteris richardii. He defended his doctoral thesis at Wageningen University & Research.
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