"Plant Love" May Be a Blossom's Strongest Line of Defense Against Plant-Eating Predators

Science Daily has a gem of green research news today.

Question: Why do some plants defend themselves from insect attacks better than others?

Answer: At least in the primrose family, love may be the answer to living longer.

Apparently some primoses reproduce in pairs and others go it alone. Scientists from North Carolina State University and Duke University discovered that sexually produced evening primrose plants withstand attacks from the devouring mouths of caterpillars better than relatives that reproduce by themselves.

So now Anne isn’t the only one telling us to spend more time together under the covers, in pursuit of better health and a stronger immune system. Mother Nature has chimed in as well. Read Sex Involved in Plant Defense.