Life Movements in Plants, Volume IBose, Jagadis Chandra
Science
Life Movements in Plants, Volume I
Bose, Jagadis Chandra
Growth (Plants); Plants -- Irritability and movements
Sub-minimal stimulus tends to induce even in normal tissues, an
acceleration of rate of growth. Stimulus of moderate intensity induces
in the same tissue the normal retardation of growth.
XIX.--RESUMPTION OF AUTONOMOUS PULSATION AND OF GROWTH UNDER STIMULUS
_By_
SIR J. C. BOSE.
The autonomous activity of growth is ultimately derived from energy
supplied by the environment. The internal activity may fall below par
with consequent diminution or even arrest of growth; this condition of
the tissue I have designated as sub-tonic. The inert plant can only be
stirred up to a state of activity by stimulus from outside; and we saw
that under the action of stimulus the rate of growth of a sub-tonic
tissue was enhanced.
As the general question of depression of autonomous activity and
its restoration by the action of stimulus is of much theoretical
importance, I shall describe experiments carried out on a different
form of autonomous activity, seen in spontaneous pulsation of the
lateral leaflets of _Desmodium gyrans_. Under favourable conditions
of light and warmth these leaflets execute vigorous movements, the
period of a single pulse varying from one to two minutes. As the energy
for this activity is ultimately derived from the environment, it is
clear that isolation from the action of favourable environment will
bring about a gradual depletion of energy with concomitant decline
and ultimate cessation of spontaneous movement. For this we may keep
the plant in semi-darkness; we may further hasten the rundown process
by isolating the leaflet from the parent plant. A leaflet immersed in
water was kept in a dimly lighted room; it was attached by a cocoon
thread to the recording lever of an Oscillating Recorder to be fully
described in the next Paper. The pulsation continued even in this
isolated condition for about 48 hours, after which the spontaneous
movement came to a stop. Further experiments showed that the arrest
of pulsation was not indicative of mortality but of ‘latent life’ in
a state of suspense, to be stirred up again by shock stimulus into
throbbing activity.
REVIVAL OF AUTONOMOUS PULSATION UNDER STIMULUS.
_Experiment 90._--In figure 84, is a seen record of the action of light
on the sub-tonic _Desmodium_ leaflet at standstill. A narrow pencil of
light from electric arc was first thrown on the lamina in which the
presence of chlorophyll rendered photo-synthetic action possible. This
had no effect on the renewal of pulsation. But the autonomous activity
was revived by the action of light on the pulvinule. This preferential
effect on pulvinule showed that the renewal of activity was due not to
photo-synthesis but to the stimulating action of light. The pulsation
was also restored by chemical stimulants, such as dilute ether, and
solution of ammonium carbonate.
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