PLANTS AND TASTE
It is well known that
everyone recognizes well known flowers/ fruits or condiments by their aroma and
taste. What does it mean in the real sense? No matter where one comes across
these items, they obey a typical fidelity of colour, fragrance and taste. What
is the underlying fact behind this ‘predictable feature’ in each plant species?
Occasionally some hybrids may get to have ‘overlap’ of features interchanged
between the members hybridized. Otherwise, by and large all plants steadfastly
repeat the qualities suggested. Some details need being understood.
For something to
sustain –fragrance, taste and feel say –fleshy or fibrous is possible only by a
precise structural / chemical constitution, so as to be repetitive irrespective
of where the plant grows. However with in a broad category there are varieties,
as in mango. Each variety repeats its taste texture and aroma typical of it
because the chemical assembly is exactly the same all over in all its members..
It further means that –in any soil, a specific plant variety ‘harvests’ the same
chemical moieties in same quantity from
everywhere of its existence. This
also indicates a high ‘selection’ capability of the plant.
When something is
selected it also means that several other items may be either not selected or
selected in specific quantities. Such a selection is largely IN THE INNER CELLS
OF the root which function as
‘selectors’. Roots of the plant species explore the soil for its mineral
content and ‘pick up’ all including what is needed.. A few items may be left untouched if they are
of no metabolic significance for that plant.
Does it mean that plant roots pick out ion by ion? No, the uptake is
through watery medium or in a solution state in which ions are in the soil
solution. When the soil solution is drawn in at select spots within the root
cells, only ‘relevant ions’ are taken in [absorbed]. These are delivered to
specific sites where they are deposited or ‘anchored’ to specific membranes
before added to the chemical matrix during development of flowers or fruits. Each of these steps is a highly precise
action with no random chance. What triggers the most appropriate assembling of
items is not ‘all-too-easy’ to explain. Again I reiterate ‘PLANTS ARE SILENT
FACTORIES, with no wage disputes or protests of any kind.
Prof. K. Raman
Taste differs in the same plant grown in different places. Plants have the capacity to absorb selective ions from the soil. Likewise the quality of the water in that area also determines the taste.
ReplyDeleteLettuce in Madurai differs in taste from that of Chennai.
A variety of Mango known as Imambasand tastes very good ,but that variety is not grown anywhere except Trichy.
Only Indian Mangoes are good taste wise .
In US or UK mangoes are in general not tasty.
A variety of brinjal known as Kammakai in Madurai tastes very good than other varieties.But that variety is banned because it contains Bt protein that may affect humans.
K.Venkataraman
What an amazing design by Nature!!
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