How Stressed-Out Plants Even Produce Their Own Aspirin

Just like how animals have self-defense against predators, plants do too! Plants protect themselves from hazards like insects, heat, and droughts by producing a type of protective acid called salicylic acid. This acid is also known as Aspirin.

Scientists from the University Of California Riverside recently published a paper in the journal Science Advances. They reported how plants produce salicylic acid.

The scientists from the university studied a model plant called Arabidopsis as an example. But these scientists hope to apply their understanding of plant stress to other plants as well to learn more about the production of this acid.

Some of these hazards are caused by climate change and global warming!! Let’s hope that we could stop global warming to make our beloved earth a better place to live for our future generations to come.

Author: Sri Nihal Tammana

Source: University of California – Riverside