Can plants feel touch?

Have you ever touched a plant and wondered if it reacts in some way? Or noticed that some plants in windy places grow shorter and stronger, while others might fall over? Plants don’t have nerves like we do, but they can sense mechanical stress like touch, wind, or rain. This helps them survive in tough environments. How does it work? When a plant is touched often or shaken by the wind, it changes how it grows. It might become shorter, sturdier, or strengthen the walls of its cells. This is partly controlled by a special growth hormone called gibberellin (GA). Normally, GA helps plants grow tall. But under stress, plants reduce GA levels to grow stronger instead of taller. Pretty smart, right? 

But who or what is in charge of changing the plant’s cell wall when GA levels drop under stress?

Our project is about studying wheat mutant with a mutation in GA levels to understand how this process works. We will:

• Mainly look at plant stems and roots sections under the microscope to quantify the plant cell wall polymer called lignin
• Extract DNA and use PCR to find these mutations
• And we will use cool machines (like LC-MS/MS!) to find out how much GA hormone is inside the plant

By learning how plants respond to touch and stress, we can help grow crops that are stronger and more resilient in changing climates.

No prior research experience is required, just curiosity, determination, reliability, and an interest in how living things work. You’ll gain hands-on lab skills, learn how scientists ask and answer questions, and contribute to real scientific discoveries.