Despite the fact that they are sessile organisms, plants actively move their organs and also use these movements to manipulate the surrounding biotic and abiotic environments. Plants maintain communication with neighboring plants, herbivores, and predators through the emission of diverse chemical compounds by their shoots and roots. These infochemicals modify the environment occupied by plants. Moreover, some infochemicals may induce morphophysiological changes of neighboring plants. We have used methyl-jasmonate (MeJa), a plant natural infochemical, to trigger communication between emitters and receivers Sorghum bicolor plants. The split roots of two plants were allocated to three different pots, with the middle pot containing the roots of both plants. We scored low stomatal conductance (g_S) and low CO₂ net assimilation (A) using the plants that had contact with the infochemical for the first time. During the second contact, these parameters showed no significant differences, indicating a memory effect. We also observed that the plants that had direct leaf contact with MeJa transmitted sensory information through their roots to neighboring plants. This resulted in higher maximum fluorescence (F_M) and structural changes in root anatomy. In conclusion, MeJa emerges as possible trigger for communication between neighboring sorghum plants, in response to the environmental challenges.

The intensity and frequency of drought periods has increased according to climate change predictions. The fast overcome and recovery are important adaptive features for plant species found in regions presenting water shortage periods. Copaifera langsdorffii is a neotropical species that has developed leaves presenting physiological mechanisms and morphological adaptations that allow its survival under seasonal water stress. We aimed in this work to observe substantial physiological responses for water saving and damage representative to the photochemical reaction after exposed plants to water stress and to subsequent recovery. We found in plants mechanisms to control water loss through the lower stomatal conductance, even after rehydration. It goes against the rapid recovery of leaves, indicated by the relative water content values restored to previously unstressed plants. Stomatal conductance was the only variable presenting high plasticity index. In photochemical activity, the species presented higher photochemical quenching, electron transport rate and effective quantum yield of photosystem II when they were subjected to rehydration after water stress period. Our results suggest that C. langsdorffii presented rapid rehydration and higher photochemical efficiency even after water restriction. These data demonstrate that this species can be used as a model for physiological studies due to the adjustment developed in response to different environmental schemes.