Plants have a secret language that scientists are only now starting to decipher

With the help of modern molecular techniques, researchers have revealed that the plant cell wall is far more than just a container. Instead, it has active roles in cellular growth, reproduction and response to infection by constantly managing signals. Now, scientists are eavesdropping on those signals to find opportunities to tweak or add to them. Doing so could open new avenues to boost agriculture: for example, protecting crops from disease, or engineering new plant variants and sturdy hybrids.