LIKE people, plants can run a temperature when they鈥檙e ill.
Dominique Van Der Straeten of the University of Ghent in Belgium and her
colleagues have detected 鈥渉otspots鈥� on the leaves of tobacco plants infected
with the tobacco mosaic virus. The hotspots are between 0.3 and 0.4 掳C
warmer than their surroundings (Nature Biotechnology, vol 17, p
813).
They are found in areas where the plant is killing its own cells with
salicylic acid to halt the spread of the invading virus. The researchers believe
that the salicylic acid also triggers the closure of leaf pores, raising the
temperature.
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As the effect appears eight hours before any other symptoms, it could be
useful for diagnosing infection earlier. 鈥淚t is important to be able to treat
plants before any major damage is caused,鈥� says team member Laury Chaerle.