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OCR A Biology

Vocs Chemical Trees Leaves Form Plant Made E.G

Pheromones are chemicals typically affecting social behavior in the same species, but in plants, they act as warning signals. For example, attacked maple trees release pheromones that alert nearby trees to prepare defenses. Plants also emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can attract predators of pests or warn other plants, like VOCs from spider mite-infested apple trees attracting predatory mites.

Pheromones are chemicals that affect the social behavior of members of the same species, though they are rarely formed in plants as plants do not exhibit social behavior. Maple trees, for instance, release pheromones when attacked, which are absorbed by other leaves, causing them to form callose for defense, and also signal nearby trees. Plants also produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that diffuse into the air, attracting predators of pests or acting as pheromones to warn other plants, as seen in apple trees attacked by spider mites, where VOCs attract predatory mites.

Front Plant responses to herbivory - Pheromones and VOCs
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  • chemical made by organism affecting social behaviour (but dont socialise so rarely formed) of other members of same species
  • e.g used in maple trees (when attacked, releases pheromones absorbed by leaves of other branches so the leaves form callose to prepare, and also leaves of nearby trees prepare for attack in response to chemical signals)
  • plants form VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which diffuse through air around plant (which uses the chemical signals to defend themselves), usually only made when detecting pest (attracting its predators or acts as pheromone to allow other plants to form VOC before attacked)
  • e.g when apple trees attacked by spider mites, VOCs formed which attract predatory mites that destroy the pests

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