Do plants have brains? How are they programmed?

[nao57]

So what do you think about this idea? Do plants have brains or some control center?

I would think they have to have something... it might not be like mammals, but there has to be a way for it to respond to deciding... OK there's enough water to sprout stuff. This made me wonder about this. And I'm not sure I've ever heard anyone say either way about how plants are... 'programmed'. Like what controls how its programming activates?

 

[azygous]

Yes, they do have "brains", but not the sort of brains we humans and animals have. Their DNA programs their cells to utilize discrete hormones to know when to germinate and to grow.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smar...etermine just the right time to start growing.

 

[nao57]

Yes, they do have "brains", but not the sort of brains we humans and animals have. Their DNA programs their cells to utilize discrete hormones to know when to germinate and to grow.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/seeds-use-tiny-brains-decide-when-germinate-180963625/#:~:text=The seed has two hormones: abscisic acid (ABA),,determine just the right time to start growing.

Thanks for your reply. I'd often wondered about that.

 

[Chris2018]

No, plants do not have brains. There is no scientific basis to show that plants have brains or a central nervous system. However, they do have a very basic nervous system that allows them to carry out certain tasks. Much like Jellyfish, Sea cucumbers do not have a brain BUT have a basic nervous system that allows them to carry out certain tasks.

 

[Sally PB]

A fascinating book:

How Plants Work, The Science Behind the Amazing Things Plants Do
by Linda Chalker-Scott