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<\/p>\nI just heard about this attack of the killer tomatoes issue and it’s really interesting. Some new research has emerged that has found garden variety vegetables (literally) like tomatoes and potatoes are just as capable of killing insects as the Venus fly trap.<\/p>\n
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According to the Telegraph<\/a>, botanists recently discovered for the first time that some plants are carnivorous predators who can kill insects in order to “self-fertilize.”<\/p>\n The new research shows that plants such as some species of petunia, ornamental tobacco plants, some varieties of potatoes and tomatoes, and shepherd\u2019s purse can capture and kill small insects via the sticky hairs on their stems. When the insects decay and fall to the ground the plants absorb their nutrients through their roots. So when you’re eating a nice tomato you may also being getting some bug nutrients. I’m wondering what Peta will have to say…<\/p>\n According to scientists working on this research it’s assumed that plants developed this technique while in the wild because soil quality can be lacking in vital nutrients. However, this may not totally be the case because they also found that domestic variety plants, in healthy garden soil, do this as well. The research was done at Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, and scientists there note that there may be hundreds more killer plants than previously realized.<\/p>\n The study researchers note, “We are accustomed to think of plants as being immobile and harmless, and there is something deeply unnerving about the thought of carnivorous plants.<\/em>” I don’t know though. Maybe a HUGE science fiction plant would be unnerving, but otherwise it’s kind of cool to know that some plants can take care of their needs when necessary.<\/p>\n Maybe we’ll all be a little nicer to our tomatoes now though; just in case [image via stock.xchng]<\/p>\n Post from: Blisstree<\/a><\/p>\n
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