MAINTAINED ELECTRICAL POLARITIES IN REGION OF THE AXILLARY BUDS IN PHASEOLUS MULTIFLORUS

A theory of cell correlation has been formulated by LUND (3) in which it is suggested that the continuous electrical currents produced by polar cells may control and modify the magnitude and direction of various processes in other cells. LUND and his coworkers have accumulated considerable evidence showing definite correlations between maintained electrical potentials and cell processes. One of the most interesting and familiar examples of cell correlation is the inhibition, in certain plants, of the normally dormant axillary buds and the subsequent release of this inhibition after the decapitation of the plant. At the end of a series of extensive experiments mainly on Phaseolus multiflorus, MCCALLUM (4) states: "This non-development (of axillary buds) does not seem to be due to any lack of those conditions that favor growth, as nutrition and moisture, or to such influences as light and gravity, or to a lack of definite 'formative substance,' but to some influence, independent of all these, which an organ, acting perhaps along protoplasmic connections, is able to exert over other parts and so prevent their growth." The work of DOSTAL (1) and SNOW (6) indicated that a hormone-like substance was involved in this inhibition of bud development. In 1933 THIMANN and SKOOG (7) demonstrated that the growth substance applied to the cut surface of the decapitated plant reversibly inhibited the buds. Although the concentration of the growth substance necessary to cause complete inhibition was many times greater than the amount that could be isolated from the apex, it seems probable that the growth substance is in some manner linked with this inhibition. The question arises, do bioelectric currents play a role in the inhibition and regeneration of the buds? If so, since the buds are inhibited continuously, one would expect to find electrical polarities of relatively constant orientation. The experimental work reported in this paper is therefore devoted to a study of the distribution of electrical polarities in such a plant. The scarlet runner bean, Phaseolus multiflorus, was used as experimental material. A discussion of the recent literature on the relation between the growth substance and potential differences will be given in a later paper.