Mathematicians have unveiled the secret behind the efficient seed dispersal of the wild cucumber.

The herbaceous plant species Ecballium elaterium is more commonly known as the "bitter cucumber." It earned this name due to its unique seed dispersal method: as the fruits mature, pressure builds up inside, causing the seeds to be forcefully ejected along with a mucilaginous fluid. While the mechanism appears straightforward, it has not been thoroughly studied until now. Recently, researchers employed experiments, high-speed videography, and mathematical modeling to uncover the factors that make this reproduction method effective.

2024-11-27 10:01:33https://naked-science.ru/article/biology/sekret-beshenogo-ogurtsa

Researchers from the universities of Oxford and Manchester (UK) have decided to delve into the intricacies of the seed dispersal process of the squirting cucumber after much consideration. They believe that this knowledge could be advantageous in bioengineering and metallurgy. The team comprises experts in mathematics, botany, physics, and other fields.

An article detailing this new scientific study was published in the journal The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The experiments took place at the Oxford University Botanic Garden, which houses specimens of Ecballium elaterium. In the wild, this plant, a member of the gourd family, is found in the Mediterranean region, Asia Minor, southern European Russia, Crimea, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

By capturing the "eruption" of a ripe squirting cucumber with a high-speed camera that records up to 8600 frames per second, the researchers discovered that the process lasts about 30 milliseconds. During this time, the seeds are propelled at a speed of approximately 20 meters per second, dispersing over distances ranging from two to nearly 10 meters, which is 250 times greater than the length of the fruit itself.

During their observations, the scientists also measured the volume of the fruits and stems before and after seed dispersal, conducted CT scans, and filmed in a near-frame-by-frame mode with extended pauses. The data collected were later used to develop mathematical models that describe the stages of the finely organized seed dispersal mechanism, including the trajectories of the seeds' flight.

It was found that several days prior to the seed expulsion, the liquid accumulated in the fruit partially redistributes back into the peduncle, causing the stem at the base to elongate, thicken, and become stiffer.

This causes the nearly vertical hanging fruit to lift and tilt at an angle of about 45 degrees. Consequently, at the moment the ripe squirting cucumber detaches from the stem, it gains a rotational motion. The fruit then flies off, evenly scattering seeds around it. These details contribute to the plant's reproductive success.

The researchers believe that their findings could serve as the foundation for new inventions. They may be applied in the development of targeted delivery systems for drugs in the form of microcapsules that release nanoparticles of the active ingredient at the desired location.