By Luke Sumpter


Music has a profound effect on the human mind. Certain songs can make you start welling at the eyes, while others can give you that push to hit a new personal record at the gym. But the sound waves generated by music don't just affect humans.

Music—and sound in general—appears to create profound changes in certain species of plants—from increasing yields to boosting immunity. Does this mean you should start blaring Mozart in your cannabis garden? Or perhaps your herb patch would prefer the soothing tones of Bob Marley?

Continue reading to see if (and how) music can increase the productivity and health of your cannabis plants.

CAN PLANTS HEAR?

You've probably noticed that your cannabis plants don't have ears. However, this easy observation doesn't rule out the fact that sound can still influence them on a biological level. Humans are able to detect sound thanks to specialised cells—mechanoreceptors—in the ear.

Put simply, sound is the vibration of molecules through a certain medium, be that solid, liquid, or gas. These vibrations travel through a medium by compressing molecules in the air. When these waves hit the human ear, mechanoreceptors respond to the change in pressure and send signals to the brain.

How plants "hear" music and sound remains unknown. However, a likely theory suggests that plant mechanoreceptors sense the change in pressure as sound waves bash into them and rush past them.

CAN PLANTS HEAR?

WHY DO PLANTS NEED TO HEAR?

This ability to detect sound allows plants to experience the outside world and act accordingly when trouble arrives. Far from inert green masses that blow in the wind, plants are incredibly aware of their surroundings.

The sound of a caterpillar munching on a plant's leaves will cause specimens to ramp up production of defensive chemicals designed to deter attackers. What's more, plants can differentiate between acoustic energy that signifies a threat and sounds from non-threatening sources.

Research published in the journal Plant-microbe-animal Interactions demonstrates how plants boost the production of glucosinolate[1] and anthocyanin after being exposed to the vibration of a munching caterpillar.

Sound waves not only influence plants to bolster their defences; acoustic energy also affects plant growth and germination. Experiments have shown a massive difference in tomatoes subject to specific tunes; those exposed grew to be twice the size[2] of the control group. Researchers even found certain tunes to inhibit viruses in tomato plants.

NOISE VS MUSIC

Noise and music are entirely different phenomena. Both are forms of sound, yet feature different structures. Noise has no rhythm or structure, such as traffic noise, heavy winds, or the footsteps of a crowd.

In contrast, music features harmonising tones, rhythms, and melodies. Musical notes have their own frequency and belong to a specific scale. Each scale features simple notes that sound pleasant when played together. When played in a specific sequence, simple notes of the same scale form a melody.

Songs also feature unique rhythms, tones, and instruments. When two instruments strike the same frequency, they create a reinforced sound wave known as a standing wave.

Research shows that both noise and music can alter the way plants grow. A study published in the Journal of Integrative Agriculture documents that sound waves between 0.1 and 1kHz increased the yield[3] of peppers by 30%, the harvest of cucumbers by 37%, and the output of tomatoes by 13%. The same paper states that sound waves decreased the instances of spider mites, aphids, grey mould, and late blight.

THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC ON PLANTS

Other scientists have explored the effects of music on plants, finding music to boost growth[3] and increase the presence of metabolites such as chlorophyll and starch. After comparing the influence of Indian classical music and rock music on China roses, researchers found the latter to stunt growth. Additional research found higher indole acetic acid levels[4] (a key growth hormone) in six varieties of vegetables after exposing them to musical acoustic frequencies.

Further studies found both rock music and classical music to exert a positive effect on seed germination, plant height, and number of leaves. In contrast, non-rhythmic traffic noises caused a negative effect. In contrast to this finding, another experiment found that any noise—when compared to silence—promoted growth in beans.

WILL MUSIC HELP YOUR CANNABIS PLANTS GROW?

Growers go to great lengths to increase the output of their cannabis plants—from tried and tested fertiliser potions to extremely powerful lights and automated climate control. But does a DJ controller and a loudspeaker have a place in your grow tent?

Although quite a few studies have observed the positive effects of music on plants, cannabis has yet to be tested. However, cannabis shares the same biological mechanisms of growth as many other plants.

It does make sense that music could give your yields a minor boost. But we simply don't know the best genre, how far to place the speakers, and how loud—or quietly—to blast your selected songs.

If you want to give it a try, prepare for some trial and error. Explore genres, volumes, duration, and tempo. Doing so will add a serious citizen science edge to your next grow, and you'll be watering and pruning your plants while nodding your head, at the very least.

External Resources:
  1. Plants respond to leaf vibrations caused by insect herbivore chewing | SpringerLink https://link.springer.com
  2. (PDF) Effect of Music on Plants – An Overview https://www.researchgate.net
  3. Advances in Effects of Sound Waves on Plants - ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com
  4. (PDF) Effect of Music on Plants – An Overview https://www.researchgate.net
  5. Effects of music acoustic frequency on indoleacetic acid in plants https://agris.fao.org
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: