Plants Need to Sleep Too

Created By RISC | 1 year ago

Last modified date : 1 year ago

People and animals both need to sleep and rest. The longer we spend in complete darkness, the better we sleep. If someone switches on the light, we’ll likely find it hard to get to sleep again.​

But did you know that plants also need to sleep?​

Plants make food through photosynthesis, turning it into energy at night. Plants, like humans, need darkness.​

Light is a type of energy that plants use to grow. Not taking time to relax is like constantly using an electrical appliance until it breaks down.​
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Research into Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.), a flowering plant in in the Brassicaceae family, found that the chemical Constans (CO), which controls blooming, is only created at night. With even the slightest light disruption, Arabidopsis will immediately stop generating CO, resulting in blooming failure.​

Light at night affects people a bit. But it has a big impact on flowers. The plants need to produce substances to bloom. Just a small amount of light will frighten the plant and these chemicals won’t be produced so that the plant can’t bloom.​

Long periods of darkness are just as crucial for plants as they are for humans or animals. We need to pay more attention to light to create green space with healthy plants.​

Story by Teerajet Iamphan, Intern from Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University and Thanawat Jinjarak, senior researcher Environmental Department Urban Environmental & Biodiversity Engineer, RISC​

​References:​
MANISHA MINNI. (2566). Phytochrome: Definition, Mechanism, Role, Functions. https://www.embibe.com/exams/phytochrome/ ​
Xiaojing Yang et al., 2009. Conformational differences between the Pfr and Pr states.  https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0902178106 ​
Andrew. Unknown. Plant experiment (photosynthesis & respiration). https://www.picotech.com/library/experiment/plant-measurements-during-day-and-night ​
Karen J. Halliday et al, 2009. Integration of Light and Auxin Signaling. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882117/ ​
QS Study. (2566). Types of Plants according to the Length of Day Light. https://qsstudy.com/types-plants-according-length-day-light/ ​
BBC. (2566). Photosynthesis and respiration in plants. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zvrrd2p/articles/zjqfsk7 ​
JU'S. (2566). CAM Pathway. https://byjus.com/neet/short-notes-of-biology-for-neet-cam-plants/#CAM%20Photosynthesis ​
Sang Yeol Kim et al., 2008. Regulation of CONSTANS and FLOWERING LOCUS T Expression in Response to Changing Light Quality. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2528114/  ​
Russell Jones & team. The Molecular Life of Plant. p. 282