Scientists at the University of Helsinki have uncovered how plants repair damage to their protective outer layer, the periderm — a breakthrough with potential applications for improving crop resilience and shelf life.
Like all living organisms, plants rely on barrier tissues to protect against environmental threats. The periderm, which forms a tough cork-like layer (think potato skin or tree bark), helps prevent water loss and blocks pathogens. But how do plants detect when this shield is compromised?
Published in Nature, the study focused on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and revealed a surprisingly elegant mechanism: gas diffusion. The research team, led by Professor Ari Pekka Mähönen, found that when the periderm is intact, it blocks gas movement — causing ethylene (a plant hormone) to accumulate and oxygen levels to drop. But when the tissue is wounded, ethylene escapes and oxygen enters through the breach. These shifts act as distress signals, activating the plant’s regeneration process, according to a press release.
Once a new periderm forms, gas exchange is once again restricted. Ethylene builds up, oxygen drops — and the plant receives a chemical cue that the repair is complete and normal growth can resume.
“We initially discovered the role of ethylene in regeneration. Then, in collaboration with University of Oxford Professor Francesco Licausi, a leading expert in oxygen sensing in plants, we also identified oxygen. This discovery reveals a beautifully simple, yet effective strategy plants use to monitor damage,” Dr. Hiroyuki Iida, the lead scientist of this project in the Mähönen group, explains.
“Gas diffusion through a wound isn’t just a consequence of injury – it’s the signal that initiates healing.”
Boosting Crop Resilience and Reducing Food Waste
The discovery has wide-reaching implications for agriculture. By understanding how periderm regeneration is activated, scientists may be able to enhance the resilience of key crops like potatoes, carrots, and various fruits. When this protective layer is damaged, it can lead to moisture loss, increased susceptibility to disease, and faster spoilage. Strengthening the plant’s natural repair mechanisms could improve crop survival in the field, extend the shelf life of harvested produce, and reduce post-harvest food waste.
At a time when global food systems are under growing strain from climate change and population growth, this research opens promising new paths toward more sustainable and resilient agriculture.
“Improving the healing capacity of barrier tissues could be a game-changer for food storage and plant resilience,” Mähönen says.
