Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Science

Plant hormone therapy could improve global food security by balancing growth with immunity

Plants have an immune system, like people, and when it is triggered by threats like disease or pests, a plant's defenses are activated. But there's a downside to this protective mechanism: the plant's growth is suppressed when its immune system is turned on. Colorado State University researchers hav...

Plant hormone therapy could improve global food security by balancing growth with immunity
Image: Phys.org
Plants have an immune system, like people, and when it is triggered by threats like disease or pests, a plant's defenses are activated. But there's a downside to this protective mechanism: the plant's growth is suppressed when its immune system is turned on. Colorado State University researchers have found a way to boost a plant's growth while maintaining its immunity through a hormone treatment that shows promise for food production.

Originally published at Phys.org

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