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Nicotiana benthamiana is a close relative of tobacco and species of Nicotiana indigenous to Australia. Benthamiana is considered by some to be a model organism for performing plant research. For example, the leaves are rather frail and can be injured in experiments in order to study ethylene synthesis. Ethylene is a plant hormone which is secreted, among other situations, after injuries. Using gas chromatography, the quantity of ethylene they emitted can also easily be measured. N. benthamiana is also an excellent target plant for agroinfiltration.
