How do plants survive in the absence of sunlight?
How Do Plants Manage To Survive Without Sunlight
Plants Can Survive Short Periods Without Light
All plants can survive for short periods without light, such as during the night. They are able to last through periods of darkness.
Plants have adaptations that allow them to allocate resources and grow toward light when deprived of sunlight for longer periods, a process called etiolation.
Some Plants Can Survive Without Photosynthesis
There are certain plant species that have lost the ability to perform photosynthesis, such as the parasitic Orobanche genus (broomrape). These plants obtain nutrients by attaching to the roots of other plants.
Mycoheterotrophic parasitic plants can feed on fungi and theoretically survive in complete darkness for extended periods, as the fungi they depend on derive energy from decomposing dead plants.
Artificial Lighting Can Substitute for Sunlight
Some plants, like low-light and medium-light plants, can survive and grow using artificial lighting sources instead of natural sunlight.
These plants require specific levels of artificial light, with low-light plants needing 50-250 foot-candles and medium-light plants needing 250-1,000 foot-candles.
High-light plants are less likely to thrive with artificial lighting alone and require very high-intensity lamps of at least 1,000 foot candles.
However, no plant can survive indefinitely without any access to light, as they ultimately depend on sunlight or other light sources to power photosynthesis and produce their own food.
– Written By Dinusha Fernando
