Inducing stress response, without stress ~*

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a volatile organic compound used in plant defense and many diverse developmental pathways such as seed germination, root growth, flowering, fruit ripening, and senescense. Methyl jasmonate is derived from jasmonic acid and the reaction is catalyzed by S-adenosyl-L-methionine:jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase. Plants produce jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate in response to many biotic and abiotic stresses (in particular, herbivory and wounding), which build up in the damaged parts of the plant. The methyl jasmonate can be used to signal the original plant’s defense systems or it can be spread by physical contact or through the air to produce a defensive reaction in unharmed plants. The unharmed plants absorb the airborne MeJA through either the stomata or diffusion through the leaf cell cytoplasm. An herbivorous attack on a plant causes it to produce MeJA both for internal defense and for a signaling compound to other plants.*

MeJA can induce the plant to produce multiple different types of defense chemicals such as photoalexins (antimicrobial), nicotine or proteinase inhibitors. MeJA activates the proteinase inhibitor genes (a defensive reaction within plants) through a receptor-mediated signal transduction pathway. The proteinase inhibitors interfere with the insect digestive process and discourage the insect from eating the plant again. ~  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_jasmonate

A simple tea can be made from jasmine flowers to be sprayed upon plants you may wish to produce a stress response in, without physically stressing it.