Hidden World: The Survival Systems of Plants

Kevin Tarner, greenhouse manager, Plant Pathology Department, UGA

Defense is a 24/7 job for plants. Did you know that plants can warn each other about threats? Kill other plants? Trap and poison herbivores? After this class, you might never see a plant the same way again. Kevin “the Plant Man” Tarner, professional horticulturist, will help participants examine the physical, cellular, and chemical strategies native plants use to resist the stresses of their environment. This class will feature a virtual demonstration of essential oil extraction (another important type of plant defense) from leaves. You will also learn how to construct a simple chemistry set that can pull the oil right out of fresh foliage.