Relationship between growth and electric oscillations in bean roots

• Published in: Plant physiology (Bethesda) Vol. 93; no. 2; pp. 532 - 536
• Main Authors: SOUDA, M, TOKO, K, HAYASHI, K, FUJIYOSHI, T, EZAKI, S, YAMAFUJI, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rockville, MD American Society of Plant Physiologists 01.06.1990
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Electric current; Electric potential; Electrical phases; Electrodes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; growth rate; High temperature; indice de crecimiento; Low temperature; Membranes and Bioenergetics; mouvement; movement; movimiento; phaseolus; Physical agents; Plant physiology and development; Plant roots; Plants; plantulas; plantule; potencial electrico; potentiel electrique; racine; raices; Root tips; roots; seedlings; taux de croissance; temperatura; temperature; Vegetative apparatus, growth and morphogenesis. Senescence; Water temperature; Electric potential; Correlation; Temperature; Electrical properties; Root; Growth; Instrumentation; Cell surface; Leguminosae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Oscillation; Spermatophyta; Elongation
• ISSN: 0032-0889; 1532-2548
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.93.2.532

Extracellular and intracellular electric potentials in bean roots are known to show electric oscillations along the longitudinal axis with a period of several minutes. The relationship between growth and the electric oscillations was studied using roots of adzuki (Phaseolus chrysanthos). We measured surface electric potentials with a multielectrode apparatus while simultaneously measuring elongation using a CCD camera and monitor. Roots having an electric oscillation grew faster than roots with no oscillation. Furthermore, elongation rate was higher in roots with higher oscillation frequency. Oscillation frequency had a strong dependence on temperature; i.e. Q10 was estimated at 1.7. These results suggest a correlation between electric oscillation and elongation.