This paper develops an end-to-end odor communication model for stress signaling between plants using Green Leaf Volatiles (GLV). A damaged transmitter plant emits (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, which propagate through a time-varying diffusion-advection channel and undergo multiplicative loss at the receiver. The sink plant is modeled with a biochemical receiver network that converts the received GLVs into the defensive metabolite (Z)-3-hexenyl $β$-vicianoside, and an alarm decision is defined based on its concentration level. Numerical results show that (Z)-3-hexenol is the primary driver of the system and that plant perception generally operates in a non-linear region. These findings provide a framework for understanding the evolution of plant-plant communication and for developing next-generation precision farming technologies.
P LANTS are dynamic organisms that actively interact with their environment through a set of chemical signals [1]. To survive various stresses, such as herbivore attacks or extreme temperatures, plants have evolved the ability to release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) [2]. Among these, Green Leaf Volatiles (GLVs) play a critical role in the rapid stress response. When a plant is physically damaged, these molecules are synthesized and released, serving as an airborne "alarm" that neighboring unstressed plants can sense to trigger preemptive defense mechanisms [3], [4]. Characterization of these biological processes through the lens of Information and Communication Technology has emerged as a promising frontier [5]. This interdisciplinary approach allows for the quantification of information flow within ecosystems and provides a framework for designing bio-compatible communication systems [6]. From a communication-theoretic perspective, this interplant interaction can be modeled as a specialized Odor Communication framework [7]. In this framework, the stressed plant acts as a transmitter. The atmosphere serves as a time-varying physical channel where signal propagation is governed by the laws of advection and diffusion. Finally, the neighboring unstressed plant functions as a biological receiver that must decode these airborne chemical cues through complex internal metabolic pathways to mount an appropriate physiological response.
Early foundational work in this area established an end-to-end model for long-range pheromone communication between plants, characterizing the dispersion of molecules under the laws of turbulent diffusion [8]. More recently, [9] explored the context of stress communication, using continuous gene regulation to approximate Biological Volatile Organic Compound (BVOC) emissions and investigate modulation techniques. Furthermore, [10] evaluates end-to-end behavior via attenuation and delay, emphasizing low-pass characteristics and distance/wind sensitivity. Despite these significant advancements, existing frameworks often simplify the receiver side of the link, frequently treating the sink plant as a basic detector or a generic absorption point. Furthermore, many models rely on static or simplified channel assumptions that do not fully capture airborne particle communication. In this paper, three primary contributions are presented. First, a rigorous biochemical receiver model is developed that is rooted in recent biological experimental data. Specifically, the internal metabolic transformation of Green Leaf Volatiles comprising (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate into the defensive glycoside (Z)-3hexenyl β-vicianoside is characterized. Through modeling of these metabolic pathways, (Z)-3-hexenol is identified as the main driver of the defensive state, providing a biological basis for signal reception. Second, a completely characterized time-varying channel impulse response for a diffusion-advection channel is utilized for the first time for odor communication. Finally, the analysis is extended beyond a point-to-point link to inspect the propagation of the alarm signal across a plant population for the first time.
The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. In Section II, the odor pathway in plants is discussed. Section III describes the mathematical framework for the perception of odors by plants. In Section IV, the simulation results are given and discussed. Concluding remarks are given in Section V.
Plants face many different stresses throughout their life cycles. These can mainly be categorized as biotic and abiotic stresses. Biotic stresses can be caused by insects, bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, arachnids, A damaged plant emits three GLVs (HAL, HOL, and HAC) that propagate through a time-varying diffusion-advection channel. The received air concentrations are subject to multiplicative loss and drive a receiver-side biochemical network (HAL/HAC conversion to HOL and downstream conversion to HEXVic), whose output c v (t) is used for the alarm decision [11]. and weeds. Abiotic stresses occur under drought, extreme temperatures, and salinity [12]. As a defense mechanism, plants release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) under these stress factors [9]. Stress-induced volatiles are categorized by metabolic origin into four classes: fatty acid degradation products, such as herbivoreinduced (Z)-3-hexenol; phenylpropanoids, including cold or drought-induced methyl salicylate (MeSA); biotic and abiotic stress-triggered monoterpenes such as linalool; and sesquiterpenes, such as nerolidol [13]. Green Leaf Volatiles (GLVs) are fatty acid derived Volatile Organic Compounds consisting of six-carbon aldehydes, alcohols, and esters [14]. When the leaves of a plant are physically damaged, GLVs are created on site. Plants can generate substantial amounts of GLVs in seconds to minutes after tissue damage, in some cases reaching nearly 100 µg per gram of fresh weig
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