White noise seen to boost growth in fungi; could it nurture other plants?

Jack Aylmer

WHAT IF TURNING UP THE VOLUME COULD HELP YOUR GARDEN GROW?

NO, WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SERENADING YOUR PLANTS WITH MOZART–ALTHOUGH THAT’S BEEN DEBATED TOO.

IT TURNS OUT FUNGI MIGHT ACTUALLY GROOVE TO WHITE NOISE.

RESEARCHERS AT FLINDERS UNIVERSITY IN AUSTRALIA FOCUSED ON A FUNGUS COMMONLY USED IN ORGANIC FARMING. 

THEY FOUND THAT WHEN A SOUND SIMILAR TO RADIO STATIC WAS PLAYED CONTINUOUSLY IT LED THIS PARTICULAR SPECIES OF SOIL FUNGUS TO HAVE A BOOST IN GROWTH.MUCH FASTER WHEN COMPARED TO THOSE FUNGI LEFT IN SILENCE.

THE IDEA OF SOUND HELPING PLANTS GROW ISN’T ENTIRELY NEW. THE “MYTHBUSTERS” EVEN TRIED TESTING WHETHER CERTAIN GENRES LIKE CLASSICAL OR EVEN DEATH METAL, COULD HELP PLANTS THRIVE. 

ECOLOGISTS BELIEVE THIS COULD OPEN NEW DOORS FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.

BUT THIS ISN’T ALL MUSIC TO OUR EARS – 

IN 2020, RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT THE HUM OF REFRIGERATORS ACTUALLY INCREASED THE GROWTH RATE OF THE KINDS OF FUNGUS THAT CAUSE FRUIT TO ROT.

SO WHILE SOUND CAN HELP, IT CAN ALSO HAVE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

WE’LL BE KEEPING AN EAR OUT FOR MORE ON THIS RESEARCH.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER