Grass trivia: does it feel pain when mowing?

All plants release a green leaf volatiles after injury. GLVs contain a variety of unique aldehydes and alcohols. When mixed together, they become the familiar smell of mowing.

There are many functions of green leaf volatiles, such as stimulating the formation of new cells on the wound, or resisting bacteria and preventing wound infection, as well as sending out distress signals to the surrounding areas: some volatiles can warn neighboring plants to make immediate defense after they are dispersed in the air. For example, when the flowers of a plant are damaged by animals, the nearby plants can know the elimination through the volatiles In order to reduce the damage, the nutrient should be transferred to the root quickly.

In addition, some plants, when bitten by insects, release volatiles that attract other carnivorous insects and get free bodyguard services. However, for most herbivores, this olfactory signal is actually equivalent to freshness, which is also true for the early primitive people who rely on collecting food. Therefore, the instinct of looking for fresh food may gradually carve out a unique preference for grass flavor in the gene with evolution. By the way, that’s why you like coriander so much – yes, aldehydes in the volatiles of green leaves are the most important and charming source of coriander. Liking coriander can be said to be our innate ancient instinct. Therefore, in the end, we should solemnly appeal that anti coriander is anti nature, anti coriander is anti human.