An Absent Minded Professor

[Touch Of Death]

My Girlfriend is a caregiver for man who use to be, and still is, a world famous entomologist whom has written several books, but is now in a total state of Alzheimer's due to a blow on the head sustained in a fall. Anyways today he looks over at me and launches into a lecture about how a plant fights off a disease or pathogen, and how the plant can inoculate its'self against that pathogen by isolating the infected area, and leaving that lesion as a source of medicine for the whole tree.

I was interested, and suggested, "Couldn't we artificially add pathogens to get a desired effect?"

"Of course." he said "What do you think all nitrogen based fertilizers are?"

Both he and I realized at that moment, that even in his diminished mental state, He and I had no business having an intelligent scientific conversation? LOL

Anyways... Did you guy's know a tree's root system can have a 4 foot square area of death, and that can be just as much a sign that the tree is healthy as it has a problem.... discuss amoungst yourselves
Sean

 

[mmartist]

I watched a video for a 1000 years old tree in Japan. The tree was a local and national symbol but recently it had started to wither. So a team of bothanists started clearing dead roots and the guy leading the effort said something very similar to the things you said. I don’t know if they saved the tree but I sure hope so. It’s a shame to see something so old to die.