Life Movements in Plants, Volume IIBose, Jagadis Chandra
Science
Life Movements in Plants, Volume II
Bose, Jagadis Chandra
Growth (Plants); Plants -- Irritability and movements
_Experiment 103._--I have already explained, how thermal _radiation_ is
almost as effective in inducing contraction and retardation of growth as
the more refrangible rays of the spectrum. The thermal radiation was
produced by the heating of a platinum spiral, short of incandescence, by
the passage of an electric current. The intensity of radiation is easily
varied by adjustment of the current by means of a rheostat. The
experimental specimen was a flower bud of _Crinum_. It was held by a
clamp, a little below the region of growth. Stimulus was applied below
the clamp so that the transmitted effect had to pass through S, the
securely held tissue (Fig. 98). A feeble stimulus was applied on one
side, at the indifferent point about 3 cm. below the region of growth.
The positive effect of indirect stimulus reached the region of growth on
the same side, bringing about an acceleration of growth with expansion
and convexity, the resulting movement being _negative_ or away from the
stimulus. The latent period was ten seconds, and maximum negative
movement was completed in the further course of ten seconds, after which
there was a recovery in the course of 75 seconds. A stronger stimulus S'
gave a larger response; but when the intensity was raised still higher
to S", the excitatory negative impulse overtook the positive within 15
seconds of its commencement; the convex was thus succeeded by the
concave curvature (Fig. 99). Direct application of stimulus at the
growing region gave rise to a positive curvature.
[Illustration: FIG. 98.--Diagrammatic representation of effects of
indirect and direct stimulation. Continuous arrow represents the
indirect stimulation, and the curved continuous arrow above, the induced
negative curvature: dotted arrow indicates the application of direct
stimulus, and the dotted curve above, the induced positive curvature.]
[Illustration: FIG. 99.--Tropic curvature of _Crinum_ to unilateral
indirect stimulation of increasing intensities: S, S' of moderate
intensity induced negative tropic effect (movement away from the
stimulated side); stronger stimulus S" gave rise to negative followed by
positive. Successive dots at intervals of 5 seconds Magnification 100
times.]
The effect of feeble stimulus transmitted longitudinally is thus found
always to induce convexity, a _negative curvature_ and movement away
from stimulus. I have obtained similar responsive movement of negative
sign with various plant organs, and under various forms of stimuli. Thus
in the stem of _Dregea volubilis_ the longitudinally transmitted effect
of light of moderate intensity was a negative curvature; direct
application of light on the growing region gave, on the other hand, a
positive curvature and movement towards light.
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