ABA-induced interplant drought cuing

Plants possess the ability to detect, integrate, and react to myriad signals and cues regarding imminent challenges and opportunities. In this study, we investigated whether unstressed plants can adaptively respond to cues emitted by neighbouring plants treated with abscisic acid (ABA) and if they can subsequently induce adaptive responses in additional unstressed neighbours. Triplets of split-root Pisum sativum plants were grown in rows. The findings reveal that, under drought conditions, cues from ABA-treated plants enhanced the survival of both immediately adjacent target plants and more distantly located relayed target plants. However, this cueing adversely impacted the performance of plants growing under sufficient water availability. These findings hold potential implications for our understanding of the role of interplant communication in plant interactions, as well as its effects on the survival and performance of plants in both natural and agricultural settings.