Life Movements in Plants, Volume IBose, Jagadis Chandra
Science
Life Movements in Plants, Volume I
Bose, Jagadis Chandra
Growth (Plants); Plants -- Irritability and movements
If _m_ be the magnifying power of the compound lever and _l_, the
average distance between successive dots in mm. at intervals of _t_
seconds then:--
the rate of growth = _l_/_mt_ × 10^{3}µ per second.
In the record given _l_ = 9.5 mm.
_m_ = 10,000.
_t_ = 1 second.
Hence the rate of growth = 9.5/10,000 × 10^{3}µ per sec.
= 0.95µ per sec.
Having demonstrated the extreme sensitiveness and reliability of the
apparatus, in quantitative determination, I shall next proceed to show
its wide applicability for various researches relating to the influence
of external agencies in modification of growth. For this two different
methods are employed. In the first of these methods, the records are
taken on a stationary plate: of these the record is at first taken
under normal condition, the subsequent series being obtained under
the given changed condition; the increase or diminution of intervals
between successive dots, in the two series, at once demonstrates the
stimulating or depressing nature of the changed condition.
In the second method, the record is taken on a plate moving at an
uniform rate by clockwork. A curve is thus obtained, the ordinate
representing growth elongation and the abscissa the time. The increment
of length divided by the increment of time gives the absolute rate of
growth at any part of the curve. As long as the growth is uniform, so
long the slope of the curve remains constant. If a stimulating agency
enhances the rate of growth, there is an immediate upward flexure in
the curve; a depressing agent, on the other hand, lessens the slope of
the curve.
I shall now give a few typical examples of the employment of the
Crescograph for investigations on growth: the first example I shall
take is the demonstration of the influence of variation of temperature.
_Stationary method: Experiment 52._--The records, given in Fig. 59_a_,
were taken on a stationary plate. The specimen was _S. Kysoor_; the
Crescographic magnification was two thousand times, and the successive
dots at intervals of 5 seconds. The middle series, N, was at the
temperature of the room. The next, C, was obtained with the temperature
lowered by a few degrees. Finally H was taken when the plant-chamber
was warmed. It will be seen how under cooling the spaces between
successive dots have become shortened, showing the diminished rate of
growth. Warming, on the other hand, caused a widening of intervals
between successive dots, thus demonstrating an enhancement of the rate
of growth.
Calculating from the data obtained from the figure we find:--
The absolute value of the normal rate 0.457µ per second.
Diminished rate under cold 0.101µ " "
Enhanced rate under warmth 0.737µ " "
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