Playing a monotonous sound can stimulate the activity of a fungus that promotes plant growth, according to latest research from Flinders University. This finding raises the possibility that playing sound or music could benefit crops and gardens.

The idea that music can help plants grow has been discussed for years. Even the popular American TV show “Mythbusters” conducted an experiment on this topic, turning on death metal and classical music for plants. Although the musical plants grew slightly better than those left in silence, the results were inconclusive.

Music and plants: Exploring the possibilities

But given the increasing challenges to plant life such as erosion, deforestation, pollution and the extinction crisis, scientists are increasingly concerned about the future of global biodiversity and plant production.

The potential role of acoustic stimulation in restoring ecosystems and creating sustainable food systems remains understudied, according to a new study published in the journal Biology Letters.

Audible mushroom effect

Building on previous research in which E. coli bacteria were exposed to sound waves, a team of Australian researchers aimed to evaluate the effect of sound on the growth and sporulation of the fungus Trichoderma harzianum.

This fungus is widely used in organic farming for its ability to protect plants from pathogens, improve soil nutrients, and promote overall plant growth.

White noise and silence

For the research, scientists created small sound booths containing Petri dishes filled with mushrooms. Instead of pop music, they chose white noise known as “Tinnitus Flosser Masker at 8kHz,” which is widely used in YouTube videos to relieve tinnitus or help babies sleep.

The noise, reminiscent of “the sound of an old-school radio between channels”, was chosen for experimental reasons, according to the study’s lead author, Flinders University environmental microbiologist Jake Robinson.

“We chose this monotone sound for controlled experimental reasons, but it may turn out that a more varied or natural soundscape is better,” Robinson said, adding that more research is needed to investigate this issue.

In the experiment, mushrooms were exposed to sound at a level of 80 decibels for 30 minutes a day. After five days, the researchers noticed that the fungi exposed to sound showed higher growth and sporulation than those that remained silent.

How can music stimulate plant growth?

Although the results of the study are inconclusive, the researchers offered several possible explanations. One theory is that acoustic waves can cause the piezoelectric effect, which converts sound into an electrical charge that can stimulate fungal growth.

Another possibility relates to small receptors in the membranes of fungi, known as mechanoreceptors. These receptors, similar to those in human skin that aid the sense of touch, can respond to sound waves, leading to a cascade of biochemical events that activate growth-related genes.

“Perhaps sound waves stimulate these mechanoreceptors in the fungi, which trigger a series of biochemical events that turn genes (for example, genes responsible for growth) on and off,” Robinson explained.

Future research directions

Robinson emphasized that although previous studies have shown that fungi respond to sound, it is not yet clear whether this benefits plants. The next step, he says, will be to examine whether sound production can affect entire microbial communities in the soil or even speed up soil remediation processes.

“Can we impact the microbial communities of soil or plants as a whole? Can we accelerate soil healing by enlivening the earth with natural soundscapes? What impact might this have on soil fauna? “There are a lot of important issues that are troubling us,” Robinson said.

Acoustic stimulation and plant growth

According to the researchers, the results show that acoustic stimulation affects the growth of fungi that promote plant growth and potentially facilitate their functioning.

“The mechanism responsible for this phenomenon may be the stimulation of fungal mechanoreceptors and/or potentially the piezoelectric effect, but further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis,” the experts said.

“Our new research highlights the potential for acoustic stimulation to alter important properties of fungi and, if developed further, could be used for ecosystem restoration and sustainable agriculture.”