Abstract
We placed agar blocks adjacent to tips of electrotropically stimulated primary roots of Zea mays. Blocks placed adjacent to the anode-side of the roots for 3 h induced significant curvature when subsequently placed asymmetrically on tips of vertically-oriented roots. Curvature was always toward the side of the root onto which the agar block was placed. Agar blocks not contacting roots and blocks placed adjacent to the cathode-side of electrotropically stimulated roots did not induce significant curvature when placed asymmetrically on tips of vertically-oriented roots. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry indicated that blocks adjacent to the anode-side of electrotropically-stimulated roots contained significantly more calcium than (1) blocks not contacting roots, and (2) blocks contacting the cathode-side of roots. These results demonstrate the presence of a gradient of endogenous Ca in mucilage of electrotropically-stimulated roots (i.e. roots undergoing gravitropic-like curvature).
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 657-659 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Annals of Botany |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| State | Published - Jun 1987 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was supported by grants from the Space Biology Program ofthe National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) and the University Research Committee of Baylor University. We thank Keith Hudson for his expert technical assistance with the atomic absorption spectre-photometer.
Keywords
- Corn
- Electrotropism
- Mucilage
- Root gravitropism
- Zea mays