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Growth distribution during first positive phototropic curvature of maize coleoptiles *
Author(s) -
LINO MORITOSHI,
BRIGGS WINSLOW R.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.1984.tb01562.x
Subject(s) - phototropism , coleoptile , irradiation , growth rate , gravitropism , curvature , polar auxin transport , biophysics , chemistry , biology , mutant , physics , optics , blue light , botany , mathematics , geometry , biochemistry , arabidopsis , gene , nuclear physics
Abastract Measurements of growth increments on the shaded and the irradiated sides of phototropically stimulated maize ( Zea mays L.) coleoptiles, obtained over the entire fluence range of the first positive curvature, indicate that the curvature is induced by growth stimulation on the shaded side and compensating inhibition on the irradiated side (length increments on the coleoptile flanks were determined 100 min after 30 s phototropic induction with blue light). At high fluences of blue light, overall stimulation of growth takes place, but this tendency is largely eliminated when only the tip of the coleoptile is irradiated. Time courses for growth increments obtained for the maximum first positive response show that the growth stimulation on the shaded side and the growth inhibition on the irradiated side commence almost simultaneously 20‐30 min after the phototropic induction. The growth on the irradiated side almost ceases, but the growth rate on the shaded side is doubled, relative to the control rate. The onset of differential growth migrates basipetally from the tip at a velocity similar to that for polar auxin transport. The first positive phototropic response of the coleoptile is concluded to be the consequence of lateral redistribution of growth, which is not necessarily accompanied by changes in the net growth. The results are consonant with the Cholodny‐Went theory of tropisms, in which lateral redistribution of auxin is considered to be the cause of tropic responses.