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Inhibition and recovery of growth processes in roots of pisum sativum L. Exposed to 60‐Hz electric fields
Author(s) -
Robertson Dominique,
Miller Morton W.,
Cox Christopher,
Davis Henry T.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.2250020405
Subject(s) - pisum , sativum , mitotic index , growth rate , biology , electric field , mitosis , botany , horticulture , zoology , chemistry , physics , mathematics , microbiology and biotechnology , geometry , quantum mechanics
Roots of Pisum sativum L. were chronically exposed in aqueous inorganic nutrient medium to 60‐Hz electric fields between 140 and 490 V/m (growth medium conductivity ∼ 0.08 S/m). The growth rate, meristematic mitotic index, and growth rate recovery of the roots were determined. At 140 V/m there was no perturbation in growth rate or mitotic index. At 430 V/m the growth rate and the mitotic index were reduced. The mitotic index had a maximum depression (∼ 55% of control), which occurred at 4 h. The depression in growth rate was immediate and constant over time. When roots were exposed to an electric field at 430 V/m for 2 days, the growth rate was depressed by about 40%. When the field was terminated, the growth rate steadily increased and was almost normal after 5 days. At 490 V/m root growth rate was almost completely arrested. According to these results, there is a narrow range of induced membrane potentials that span the range from slightly altered to almost completely arrested growth rates.