Plants use a molecular measuring tape to tell fungal friend from foe

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA report from Phys.org says otherwise. Plants have a molecular measuring tape.

2. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorA tape. For measuring what, exactly?

3. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorChitin, the main building block of fungal cell walls.

4. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIt's a chain of repeating sugar molecules, and when fungi grow or get broken down, fragments of different lengths end up in the soil.

5. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorSo the plant is sizing up every stranger by the length of the scraps they leave behind.

6. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe plant detects those fragments to monitor the microbes around it. That's how it tells a fungal friend from a foe.

7. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorParanoid roots. I've never been prouder.

8. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe summary only covers what the plants detect. It doesn't say what plants do about it. So the ruling is it's complicated.

9. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorNot simple and trusting, but not a doom prophet either.

10. 

    Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorFine. My new belief is that my neighbours are fungi, and I'm measuring their hedges.

11. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorYou already do that.