TRANSACTIONS
OF THE
BOSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CALCUTTA,
VOL. II, 1919

LIFE MOVEMENTS IN PLANTS

BY

SIR JAGADIS CHUNDER BOSE, Kt., M.A., D.Sc., C.S.I., C.I.E.,

PROFESSOR EMERITUS, PRESIDENCY COLLEGE,
DIRECTOR, BOSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE,

WITH 128 ILLUSTRATIONS

CALCUTTA
BENGAL GOVERNMENT PRESS
1919
PUBLISHED BY
THE BOSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CALCUTTA.

WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

RESPONSE IN THE LIVING AND NON-LIVING. With 117 Illustrations, 8vo. 10s. 6d. 1902

PLANT RESPONSE: AS A MEANS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION. With 278 Illustrations, 8vo. 21s. 1906

COMPARATIVE ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGY. A PHYSICO-PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY. With 406 Illustrations, 8vo. 15s. 1907

RESEARCHES ON IRRITABILITY OF PLANTS. With 190 Illustrations, 8vo. 10s. 6d. net 1913

LIFE MOVEMENTS IN PLANTS, VOL. I. With 92 Illustrations, 8vo. 10s. 6d. 1918

Longmans, Green & Co.

London, New York, Bombay and Calcutta.

PREFACE TO VOLUME II.

I have in the present volume dealt with the intricate phenomena of different tropisms. The movements in plants under the stimuli of the environment—the twining of tendrils, the effect of temperature, the action of light inducing movements sometimes towards and at other times away from the stimulus, the diametrically opposite responses of the shoot and the root to the same stimulus of gravity, the day and night positions of organs of plants—these, and many others present such diversities that it must have appeared a hopeless endeavour to discover any fundamental reaction applicable in all cases. It has therefore been customary to assume different sensibilities especially evolved for the advantage of the plant. But teleological argument and the use of descriptive phrases, like positive and negative tropism, offer no real explanation of the phenomena. Thus to quote Pfeffer "When we say that an organ curves towards a source of illumination, because of its heliotropic irritability we are simply expressing an ascertained fact in a conveniently abbreviated form, without explaining why such curvature is possible or how it is produced.... Many observers have unfortunately devoted their attention to artificially classifying the phenomenon observed, and have entirely neglected the explanation of causes underlying them." He also adds that in regard to the phenomenon of growth and its variations, an empirical treatment is all that is possible in the present state of our knowledge; but deduction from results of experimental investigation "still remains the ideal of physiology, and only when this ideal has been attained, shall we be able to obtain a comprehensive view of the interacting factors at work in the living organism."

In my previous work on "Plant Response" (1906) I described detailed investigations on irritability of plants which I carried out with highly sensitive recorders. The plant was thus made to tell its own story by means of its self-made records. The results showed that there is no specific difference in physiological reaction of different organs to justify the assumption of positive and negative irritabilities. A generalisation was obtained which gave a complete explanation of diverse movements in plants. The results were fully confirmed by an independent method of inquiry, namely that of electric response, which I have been able to elaborate so as to become a very important means of research.

The investigations described in the present volume not only support the conclusions reached in my earlier works, but have led to important additions. It is evident that the range of our investigation is limited only by our power of recording the rate of plant-movement, that is to say, in the measurement of length and time. In these respects the instruments that I have been able to devise have surpassed my sanguine expectations. The Resonant Recorder traces time-intervals as short as a thousandth part of a second, while my Balanced Crescograph enables us to measure variation of rate of growth as minute as ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ millionth of an inch per second, the sensitiveness of this apparatus thus rivals that of the spectroscope. The increasing refinement in our experimental methods cannot but lead to important advances towards a deeper understanding of underlying reactions in the living organism.

I shall here draw attention to only a few of the important results given in the present volume. The tropic effect of light has been shown to have a definite relation to the quantity of incident light. A complete tropic curve has been obtained from sub-minimal to maximal stimulation which shows the inadequacy of Weber's law, for the sub-minimal stimulus induces a qualitative difference in physiological reaction. It has further been shown that the prevalent idea that perception and heliotropic excitation are two distinct phenomena is without any foundation.

With reference to the effect of ether waves on plants, I have given an account of my discovery of the response of all plants to wireless stimulation, the results being similar to that induced by visible light. The perceptive range of the plant is thus infinitely greater than ours; for it not only perceives, but also responds to different rays of the vast ethereal spectrum.

The results obtained by the method of geo-electric response show that the responsive reaction of the root is in no way different from that of the shoot, the opposite movements being due to the fact that in the shoot the stimulation is direct, and in the root it is indirect.

Full description is given of the new method of physiological exploration by means of the electric probe, by which the particular layer which perceives the stimulus of gravity is definitely localised. The method of electric probe is also found to be of extended application in the detection of physiological changes in the interior of an organ.

An important factor of nyctitropic movements, hitherto unsuspected, is the effect of variation of temperature on geotropic curvature. This and other co-operative factors have been fully analysed, and a satisfactory explanation has been offered of various types of diurnal movement.

A generalisation has been obtained which explains all the diverse movements of plants, under all modes of stimulation: it has been shown that direct stimulation induces contraction and retardation of growth, and that indirect stimulation induces an expansion and acceleration of growth.

Another generalisation of still greater importance is the establishment of identical nature of physiological reaction in the plant and the animal, leading to advances in general physiology. Thus the discovery of a method for immediate enhancement or inhibition of nervous impulse in the plant led to my success in the control of nervous impulse in the animal. Another important discovery was the dual nervous impulses in plants, and I have very recently been able to establish, that the nervous impulse generated in the animal nerve by stimulus is not single, but double.

The study of the responsive phenomena in plants must thus form an integral part of physiological investigation into various problems relating to the irritability of all living tissues, and without such study the investigation must in future remain incomplete.

J. C. BOSE.

October 1919.

CONTENTS.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PART III.

TROPISM IN PLANTS.

XXII.—THE BALANCED CRESCOGRAPH

By
Sir J. C. Bose.

We shall in the succeeding series of papers deal with the subject of tropism in general. Different plant organs undergo curvature or bending, sometimes towards and at other times away from the stimulus which induces it. The problem is very intricate; the possibility of its solution will depend greatly on the accurate determination of the immediate and after-effects of various stimuli on the responding organ. The curvature induced in the growing organ is brought about by variation, often extremely slight, of the rate of growth; the result, moreover, is liable to be modified by the duration and point of application of stimulus. The difficulties connected with the problem can only be removed by the detection and measurement of the minutest variation in growth, and by securing a continuous and automatic record of the entire history of the change.

In the chapter on High Magnification Crescograph an account is given of the apparatus which I have devised by which the rate of growth may be magnified from ten thousand to ten millions times. It is thus possible to measure the imperceptible growth of plants for a period shorter than a single second. The variation of normal rate of growth is also found by measuring successive growth records on a stationary plate at regular intervals, say of ten seconds, or from the flexure in the growth-curve taken on a moving plate (p. 163).

I was next desirous of exalting the sensitiveness to a still higher degree by an independent method, which would not only reveal very slight variation induced in the rate of growth, but also the latent period and time-relations of the change. For this purpose I at first devised the Optical Method of Balance[1] which was considered at the time to be extremely sensitive. The spot of light from the Optical Lever (which magnified the rate of growth) was made to fall upon a mirror to which a compensating movement was imparted so that the light-spot after double reflection remained stationary. Any change of rate of growth—acceleration or retardation—was at once detected by the movement of the hitherto stationary spot of light in one direction or the other.

A very careful manipulation was required for the adjustment of the Optical Balance; the record moreover was not automatic. For these reasons I have been engaged for several years past in perfecting a new apparatus by which, (1) the balance could be directly obtained with the utmost exactitude, (2) where an attached scale would indicate the exact rate of growth, and (3) in which the upsetting of the balance by external stimulus would be automatically recorded, the curve giving the time relations of the change.

PRINCIPLE OF THE METHOD OF BALANCE.

I shall take a concrete example in explanation of the method of balance. Taking the rate of growth per second of a plant to be ¹⁄_50,000 inch or 0·5 µ, per second (equal to the wave length of sodium light), the tip of the plant will be maintained at the same point in space if we succeeded in making the plant-holder subside exactly at the same rate. The growth-elongation of the plant will then be exactly balanced by a compensating movement downwards. The state of exact balance is indicated when the recording lever of the Crescograph traces a horizontal line on the moving plate. Overbalance or underbalance will deflect the record below or above the horizontal line.

Fig. 93.—Arrangement for compensation of growth-movement by equal subsidence of plant-holder; S, adjusting screw for regulation of speed of rotation; G, governor; W, heavy weight; P, plant-holder.

COMPENSATING MOVEMENT.

For securing exact balance the holder of the plant P, in the given example, will have to subside at a rate of ¹⁄_50,000 inch per second. This is accomplished by a system of reducing worm and pinion, also of clock wheels (Fig. 93). The clock at first used for this purpose was worked by the usual balance wheel. Though this secured an average balance yet as each tick of the clock consisted of sudden movement and stoppage, it caused minute variation in the rate of subsidence; this became magnified by the Crescograph and appeared as a series of oscillations about a mean position of equilibrium. This particular defect was obviated by the substitution of a fan governor for the balance wheel. But the speed of rotation slows down with the unwinding of the main spring, and the balance obtained at the beginning was found to be insufficient later on. The difficulty was finally overcome by the use of a heavy weight W, in the place of coiled spring. The complete apparatus is seen in figure 94.

Fig. 94.—Photographic reproduction of the Balanced Crescograph. L, L', magnifying compound lever. R, recording plate. P, plant. C, clock work for oscillation of the plate and lateral movement. G, governor. M, circular growth-scale. V, plant-chamber.

For purpose of simplicity of explanation, I assumed the growth rate to have a definite value of ¹⁄_50,000 inch per second. But the rate varies widely in different plants and even in the same plant at different days and seasons. In practice the rate of growth for which compensation has to be made varies from ¹⁄_150,000 to ¹⁄_25,000 inch, or from 0·17 µ to 1·0 µ per second. We have thus to secure some means of continuous adjustment for growth, the rate of which could be continuously varied from one to six times. This range of adjustment I have been able to secure by the compound method of frictional resistance and of centrifugal governor. As regards frictional resistance the two pointed ends of a hinged fork rub against a horizontal circular plate not shown in the figure. By means of the screw head S, the free ends of the fork spread out and the circumference of the frictional circle continuously increased. The centrifugal governor is also spread out by the action of the adjusting screw. By the joint actions of the frictional control and the centrifugal governor, the speed of rotation can be continuously adjusted from 1 to 6 times. When the adjusting screw is set in a particular position, the speed of rotation, and therefore the rate of subsidence of plant-holder, remains absolutely constant for several hours. The attainment of this constancy is a matter of fundamental importance, and it was only by the employment or the compound system of regulation that I was able to secure it.

The method of obtaining balance now becomes extremely simple. Before starting the balancing movement by clock regulation, the plant is made to record its magnified growth by the Crescograph. The compensation is effected as follows: the speed of the clockwork is at the beginning adjusted at its lowest value, and the pressure of a button starts the balancing movement of the plant downwards. On account of partial balance the record will be found to be less steep than before; the speed of the clock is gradually increased till the record becomes perfectly horizontal under exact balance. Overbalance makes the record slope downwards. In figure 95 is seen records of underbalance (a) and overbalance (b), to the extent of about 3 per cent.

Fig. 95.—Balanced Crescographic record: (a) showing effect of underbalance and (b) overbalance of about 3 per cent. (Magnification 2,000 times.)

It will thus be seen that the effect of an external agent may be detected by the upsetting of the balance; an up-movement indicates (unless stated to the contrary) an enhancement of the rate of growth above the normal; and a down-movement, on the other hand, a depression of the normal rate.

Calibration.—The calibration of the instrument is obtained in two different ways. The rate of subsidence of the plant-holder, by which the balance is obtained, is strictly proportional to the rate of rotation of the vertical spindle and the attached train of clock-wheels. A striker is attached to one of the wheels, and a bell is struck at each complete revolution. The clockwork is adjusted at a medium speed, the bell striking 35 times in a minute. A microscope micrometer is focussed on a mark made on the plant-holder, and the amount of subsidence of the mark determined after one minute; this was found to be 0·0525 mm. As this fall occurred after 35 strokes of the bell the subsidence per stroke was 0·0015 mm.

Determination of the absolute rate of growth.—If growth be found balanced at N strokes of bell per minute, the rate of subsidence per second

= N × ^·0015⁄₆₀ mm. per second
= N × ·000025 mm. per second
= N × ·025 µ per second
= N × 10^-5 inch per second.

Example.—The growth of a specimen of Zea Mays was found balanced when the number of strokes of the bell was 20 times in a minute.

If we take the wave length of sodium light λ as our standard, the growth in length per second is equal to λ. This will give us some idea of the sensitiveness of the Crescograph employed in recording the movement of growth.

GROWTH-SCALE.

The Balanced Crescograph enables us not merely to determine the absolute rate of growth, but the slightest fluctuation in that rate.

Indicator Scale.—All necessity of calculation is obviated by the scale provided with the apparatus. The speed of clockwork which brings about the balance of growth is determined by the position of the adjusting screw S, the gradual lowering of which produces a continuous diminution of speed. A particular position of the screw therefore indicates a definite rate of subsidence for balancing growth. By a simple mechanism the up or down movement of the screw causes rotation of an index pivoted at the centre of a circular scale. Each division of the scale is calibrated by counting the corresponding number of strokes of the bell per minute at different positions of the adjusting screw. The scale is calibrated in this manner to indicate different rates of growth from 0·2 µ to 1·2 µ per second.

The determination of the rate of growth now becomes extremely simple. Few turns of the screw bring about the balance of growth and the resulting position of the index against the circular scale automatically indicates the absolute rate. The procedure is even simpler and more expeditious than the determination of the weight of a substance by means of a balance.

SENSITIVENESS OF THE CRESCOGRAPHIC BALANCE.

Perhaps the most delicate method of measuring lengths is that afforded indirectly by the spectrum of a light. A good spectroscope resolves differences of wave lengths of D₁ (= 0·5896 µ) and D₂ (= 0·5890) i.e. of 1 part in a thousand. The average rate of growth of Zea Mays is of this order; being about 0·5 µ per second. Let us consider the question of the possibility of detecting a fractional variation of the ultra-microscopic length by means of the Balanced Crescograph. In reality the problem before us is more intricate than simple measurement of change of length; for we have to determine the rate of variation of length.

The sensitiveness of the balance will, it is obvious, depend on the magnifying power of the Crescograph. By the Method of Magnetic Amplification referred to in page 170, I have succeeded in obtaining a magnification of ten million times. In this method a very delicate astatic system of magnets undergoes deflection by the movement of a magnetised lever in its neighbourhood. A spot of light reflected from a small mirror attached to the astatic system, thus gives the highly magnified movement of the rate of growth, which may easily be raised to ten million times. I shall in the following describe the results obtained with this easily managed magnification of ten million times.

Determination of sensitiveness: Experiment 99.—A seedling of Zea Mays was placed on the Crescographic Balance; and the magnetic amplification, as stated above, was ten million times. With 18 strokes of the bell per minute the spot of light had a drift of + 266 cm. per minute to the right; this is because the growth was underbalanced. With faster rate of clock movement, i.e., 21 strokes in 68 seconds or 18·53 strokes per minute, the drift of the spot of light, owing to overbalance, was to the left at the rate of - 530 cm. per minute. Thus

(1) 18 strokes per minute caused a drift of + 266 cm. per minute.

(2) 18·53 strokes per minute caused a drift of - 530 cm. per minute.

Hence by interpolation the exact balance is found to correspond to 18·177 strokes per minute.

Therefore the absolute rate of growth

= 18·177 × 0·025 µ per second.
= 0·45 µ per second.
= 0·000018 inch per second.

We learn further from (1) and (2) that a variation of ^{(18·53 - 18)}⁄_18·177 produces a change of drift of the spot of light from + 266 to - 530 cm., i.e., of 796 cm. per minute. As it is easy to detect a drift of 1 cm. per minute a variation of ^0·53⁄_{(18·177 × 796)}, or 1 part in 27,000 may thus be detected by the Method of Balance. The spectroscopic method enabled us, as we saw, to detect change of wave length 1 part in a thousand. The sensibility of the Balanced Crescograph is thus seen to rival, if not surpass that of the spectroscope.

For obtaining a general idea of the sensitiveness, the absolute of growth in the instance given above was 0·00018 inch per second, and the Balanced Crescograph was shown capable of discriminating a variation of 1 part in 27,000; hence it is possible to detect by this means a variation of ¹⁄_1,500 millionth of an inch per second.

This method of unprecedented delicacy opens out a new field of investigation on the effect of changes of environment in modification of growth; instances of this will be found in subsequent chapters. I give below accounts of certain demonstrations which will no doubt appear as very striking.

After obtaining the exact balance a match was struck in the neighbourhood of the plant. This produced a marked movement of the hitherto quiescent spot of light, thus indicating the perception of such an extremely feeble stimulus by the plant.

Breathing on the plant causes an enhancement of growth due to the joint effects of warmth and carbonic acid gas. A more striking experiment is to fill a small jar with carbonic acid and empty it over the plant. A violent movement of the spot of light to the right demonstrates the stimulating effect of this gas on growth.

The method described above is excessively sensitive; for general purposes and for the method of direct record, a less sensitive arrangement is sufficient. I give below accounts of several typical experiments in which the recording form of Crescograph was employed, the magnification being only 2,000 times.

Fig. 96.—Record showing the effect of CO₂. Horizontal line at beginning indicates balanced growth. Application of CO₂ at arrow induces enhancement of growth shown by the up-curve followed by depression, shown by the down-curve. Successive dots at intervals of 10 seconds. (Seedling of wheat.)

Effect of carbonic acid on Balanced growth: Experiment 100.—I have already shown that carbonic acid diluted with air induces an enhancement of the rate of growth, but its long continued action induces a depression (p. 185). I shall now employ the Method of Balance in studying the effect of CO₂ on growth. It should be remembered in this connection that the horizontal record indicates the balance of normal rate of growth. An up-curve exhibits the induced enhancement and a down-curve, a depression of growth. In the present experiment after obtaining the exact balance, pure carbonic acid gas was made to fill up the plant-chamber at the point marked with an arrow (Fig. 96). It will be seen that this induced an almost immediate acceleration of the rate, the latent period being less than five seconds. The acceleration continued for two and half minutes; the accelerated rate then slowed down, became enfeebled, and the growth returned for a short time to the normal as indicated by the horizontal portion at the top of the record; this proved to be the turning point of inversion from acceleration into retardation of growth. The stronger is the concentration of the gas the earlier is the point of inversion. With diluted carbonic acid the acceleration may persist for an hour or more.

EFFECT OF ANÆSTHETICS.

Effect of Ether: Experiment 101.—Dilute vapour of ether is found to induce an acceleration of rate of growth which persist for a considerable length of time. This is seen in the upsetting of the balance upwards on the introduction of the vapour (Fig. 97a.).

Fig. 97.—(a) Effect of ether, acceleration of growth, (b) effect of chloroform preliminary acceleration followed by depression.

Effect of Chloroform: Experiment 102.—The effect of chloroform vapour is relatively more depressing than ether. Application of chloroform is seen to induce at first an acceleration which persisted for 50 seconds, but after this depression set in (Fig. 97b). Prolonged application of the anæsthetic is followed by the death of the plant.

SUMMARY.

In the Method of Balance the movement of growth upwards is compensated by an equal movement of the plant downwards, with the result that the record remains horizontal.

The effect of an external agent is immediately detected by the upsetting of the balance, up-record representing acceleration above normal, a down-record the opposite effect of depression below the normal rate.

The latent period and the after-effect of stimulus may thus be obtained with the highest accuracy.

The sensitiveness of the Method of Balance may be raised so as to indicate a variation of rate of growth smaller than ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ millionth of an inch per second.

[1] "Plant Response"—p. 413.

XXIII.—ON TROPIC MOVEMENTS

By
Sir J. C. Bose.

The diverse movements induced by external stimuli in different organs of plants are extremely varied and complicated. The forces in operation are manifold—the influence of changing temperature, the stimulus of contact, of electric current, of gravity, and of light visible and invisible. They act on organs which exhibit all degrees of physiological differentiation, from the radial to the dorsiventral. An identical stimulus may sometimes induce one effect, and at other times, the precisely opposite. Thus under unilateral stimulation of light of increasing intensity, a radial organ exhibits a positive, a dia-phototropic, and finally a negative response. Strong sunlight brings about para-heliotropic or 'midday sleep' movement, by which the apices of leaves or leaflets turn towards or away from the source of illumination. The teleological argument advanced, that in this position the plant is protected from excessive transpiration, does not hold good universally; for under the same reaction, the leaflets of Cassia montana assume positions by which the plant risks fatal loss of water. In Averrhoa carambola the movement is downwards, whichever side is illuminated with strong light; in Mimosa leaflet the movement, under similar circumstances is precisely in the opposite direction. The photonastic movement, apparently independent of the directive action of light, has come to be regarded as a phenomenon unrelated to phototropic reaction, and due to a different kind of irritability, and a different mode of response. So very anomalous are these various effects that Pfeffer, after showing the inadequacy of different theories that have been advanced, came to the conclusion that "the precise character of the stimulatory action of light has yet to be determined. When we say that an organ curves towards a source of illumination because of its heliotropic irritability, we are simply expressing an ascertained fact in a conveniently abbreviated form, without explaining why such curvature is possible or how it is produced."[2]

The contradictory nature of the various responses is however not real; the apparent anomaly had lain in the fact that two definite fundamental reactions of opposite signs induced by stimulus had not hitherto been recognised and distinguished from each other. The innumerable variations in the resultant response are due to the summation of the effects of two fluctuating factors, with further complications arising from: (1) difference in the point of application of stimulus, (2) the differential excitability of the different sides of the responding organ, and (3) the effect of temperature in modifying tropic curvature. It is therefore most important to have the means for automatic record of continuous change in the response brought about by various factors, which act sometimes in accord, and at other times in conflict. The autograph of the plant itself, giving a history of the change in response and its time-relations, is alone decisive in explanation of various difficulties in connection with plant movements, as against the various tentative theories that have been put forward. The analysis of the resulting effect, thus rendered possible, casts new light on the phenomena of response, proving that the anomalies which had so long perplexed us, are more apparent than real.

One of the causes of uncertainty lay with the question, whether response changed with the mode of stimulation. I have, however, been able to show that all forms of stimuli induce a definite excitatory reaction of contraction (p. 218).

Tropic movements induced by unilateral action of stimulus may, broadly speaking, be divided into two classes depending on the point of application of stimulus:

In the first, the point of application of unilateral stimulus is not on the responding organ itself, but at some distance from it. The question therefore relates to Longitudinal Transmission of effect of stimulus.

In the second, unilateral stimulus acts directly on the responding organ. For the determination of the resultant movement, it is necessary to take account of effects induced on the two sides of the organ. The side adjacent to the stimulus I shall designate as the proximal, and the diametrically opposite as the distal side. The question to be investigated in this case relates to Transverse Transmission of effect of stimulus. It will be shown that the resulting movement depends on:—

(a) whether the tissue is a conductor or a non-conductor of excitation in a transverse direction, and

(b) whether it is the proximal, or the distal side of the organ that is the more excitable.

In connection with the response to environmental changes, a source of uncertainty is traceable to the absence of sufficient knowledge of the physiological effect of heat, which has been regarded as a form of stimulus: it will be shown that heat induces two distinct effects dependent on conduction and radiation. We shall in the succeeding chapters, take up the study of the physiological effects induced by changes in the environment.

[2] Pfeffer—Ibid—Vol. II, p. 74.

XXIV.—TROPIC CURVATURE WITH LONGITUDINAL
TRANSMISSION OF EFFECT OF STIMULUS

By
Sir J. C. Bose,
Assisted by
Guruprasanna Das.

I have in previous chapters explained that the direct application of stimulus gives rise in different organs to contraction, diminution of turgor, fall of motile leaf, electro-motive change of galvanometric negativity, and retardation of the rate of growth. I have also shown that indirect stimulation (i.e. application of stimulus at some distance from the responding organ) gives rise to a positive or erectile response of the responding leaf or leaflet (indicative of an increase of turgor), often followed by normal negative response. The positive impulse travels quickly. The interval of time that elapses, between the application of stimulus and the erectile response of the responding leaf, depends on the distance of the point of application, and the character of the transmitting tissue: it varies in different cases from 0·6 second to about 40 seconds. The positive is followed by a slower wave of protoplasmic excitation, which causes the excitatory fall. The velocity of this excitatory impulse is about 30 mm. per second in the petiole of Mimosa, and about 3 mm. per second in Biophytum. The positive followed by the negative thus gives rise to a diphasic response. The excitatory impulse is much enfeebled during transit: the negative impulse may thus fail to reach the responding organ, if the stimulus be feeble or if the intervening distance be long or semi-conducting. Hence moderate stimulus applied at a distance gives rise only to positive response; direct application of strong stimulus gives rise, on the other hand, to the normal negative. By employing the electric method of investigation, I have obtained with ordinary tissues the positive, the diphasic, and the negative electric response, in correspondence with the responses given by a motile organ (p. 214). The mechanics of propagation of the positive and the negative impulse are different. It is therefore necessary to distinguish the quick transmission of the positive impulse from the slow conduction of the negative impulse due to the propagation of excitatory protoplasmic change.

It should be borne in mind in this connection that all responsive movements are ultimately due to protoplasmic changes which are beyond our scrutiny. We can infer the nature of the change by the concomitant outward manifestations, which are of two kinds: the positive, associated with increase of turgor, expansion, and galvanometric positivity, and the negative with concomitant decrease of turgor, contraction, and galvanometric negativity. Thus positive and negative reactions indicate the fundamental protoplasmic changes of opposite characters.

The movement and curvature induced by stimulus have, for convenience, been distinguished as positive curvature, (movement towards stimulus), and negative curvature (movement away from stimulus). Though these curvatures result from protoplasmic reactions, yet the positive curvature is not necessarily associated with positive protoplasmic reaction. It will be shown that the curvature of an organ is determined by the algebraical summation of effects induced at the proximal and distal sides of the responding organ.

Physiologists have not been aware of the dual character of the impulse generated by stimulus, and the term "transmission of stimulus" is thus misleading since its effect may be an expansion, or its very opposite, contraction. It is therefore necessary to discriminate the effect of one from the other: the impulse which induces an increase of turgor, expansion, and galvanometric positivity will be distinguished as positive, in the sense that it causes an enhancement of turgor. The other, which induces diminution of turgor and contraction, will be termed as the excitatory impulse. Transmission of the latter is dependent on conducting power of the tissue; the positive impulse is practically independent of the conducting power.

In animal physiology again, there is no essential difference between the effect of the direct and indirect stimulation. In a nerve-and-muscle preparation, for example, indirect stimulation at the nerve induces the same contraction as the direct stimulation of the muscle. The only difference lies in the latent period, which is found to be longer under indirect stimulation by the time interval necessary for the excitation to travel along the conducting nerve. It is probable that stimulus gives rise to dual impulses in the animal tissue as in the plant. But the detection of the positive impulse in the animal nerve is rendered exceedingly difficult on account of the high velocity of conduction of excitation. I have explained that the separate effects of the two impulses can only be detected if there is a sufficient lag of the excitatory negative behind the positive, so that the relatively sluggish responding organ may exhibit the two impulses one after the other. In a highly conducting tissue the lag is very slight, and the negative will therefore mask the positive by its predominant effect. In spite of the difficulty involved in the problem, I have recently been successful in demonstrating the dual impulses in the animal nerve.

In any case it is important to remember the following characteristic effects of indirect stimulation.

TABLE XXII.—SHOWING THE EFFECT OF INDIRECT STIMULATION.

These effects of indirect stimulation have been fully demonstrated in the case of pulvinated organs (p. 136) and growing organs (p. 215).

Having demonstrated the fundamental reactions of direct and indirect stimulation, we shall next study the tropic effects induced in growing organs by the effect of unilateral application of indirect stimulus.

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.

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.

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.

Thus while the effect of direct unilateral stimulation is a positive curvature, the effect of indirect stimulation is a negative curvature. The following table gives a summary of results of tropic effects under unilateral application of indirect stimulus.

TABLE XXIII.—SHOWING TROPIC EFFECT OF UNILATERAL APPLICATION OF INDIRECT STIMULUS.

SUMMARY.

In sensitive plants stimulus applied at a distance induces in the responding region an expansion indicative of increase of turgor.

The effect of indirect stimulation is also exhibited by an electric change of galvanometric positivity, indicative of enhancement of turgor and expansion.

Indirect stimulus induces in growing organs an enhancement of rate of growth.

Unilateral application of stimulus causes an expansion higher up on the same side to which the stimulus is applied; the result is an induced convexity, a movement away from the stimulus, i.e., a negative curvature. Direct stimulus applied unilaterally at the responding region induces, on the other hand, a positive curvature.

XXV.—TROPIC CURVATURE WITH TRANSVERSE
TRANSMISSION OF EFFECT OF STIMULUS

By
Sir J. C. Bose,
Assisted by
Guruprasanna Das.

We have next to consider a very large class of phenomena arising out of the direct stimulation of one side and its transversely transmitted effect on the opposite side. The unilateral stimuli to which the plant is naturally exposed are those of contact, of light, of thermal radiation, and of gravity. There is besides the stimulation by electric current. I shall presently show that these tropic curvatures are determined by the definite effects of direct and indirect stimulations.

Under unilateral stimulus, the proximal side is found to become concave and the distal side convex; the organ thus moves towards stimulus, exhibiting a positive curvature. This movement may be due: (1) to the diminution of turgor, contraction or retardation of rate of growth of the proximal side, (2) to the increase of turgor, expansion or acceleration of rate of growth on the distal side, or (3) to the joint effects of contraction of the proximal and expansion of the distal side.

As regards the reaction of the proximal side, it has been shown that direct stimulation induces local contraction in a pulvinated organ, and retardation of growth in a growing organ. The effect induced on the distal side had hitherto remained a matter of uncertainty. In regard to this we must bear in mind that it is the effect of indirect stimulus that reaches the distal sided, inducing an enhancement of turgor and expansion of that side.

For obtaining a complete explanation of tropic curvatures in general, it is important that the induction of enhanced turgor at the distal side (by the action of stimulus at the proximal side) should be corroborated by independent methods of enquiry. One of the methods I employed for this purpose was electrical. Two electric connections were made, one with the distal point (diametrically opposite to the stimulated area), and the other, with an indifferent point at a distance. On application of stimulus of various kinds, the distal point was found to exhibit galvanometric positivity, indicative of enhancement of turgor.[3]

I have since been able to devise a new experiment by which the enhancement of turgor on the distal side is demonstrated in a very striking manner.

I have shown (p. 39) that the movement of the motile leaf of Mimosa is a reliable indicator of the state of turgor, increase of turgor inducing erection, and diminution of turgor bringing about the fall of the leaf. I shall employ the mechanical response of the leaf to demonstrate the enhancement of turgor induced by transverse transmission of effect of stimulus.

Fig. 100.—Increased turgor due to indirect stimulation, inducing erection of Mimosa leaf: (a) diagram of the experiment, point of application of stimulus indicated by arrow. (b) erectile response (shown by down-curve) followed by rapid fall (up-curve) due to transverse conduction of true excitation. (Successive dots at intervals of 10 seconds.)

TURGOR-VARIATION UNDER TRANSVERSE TRANSMISSION OF STIMULUS-EFFECT.

Unilateral photic stimulation: Experiment 104.—A Mimosa plant was taken, and its stem was held vertical by means of a clamp. We apply a stimulus at a point on one side of the stem, and observe the effect of this on the state of turgor at the diametrically opposite side. In my first experiment on the subject of detection of induced change of turgor I employed the stimulus of light. A narrow beam from a small arc lamp was made to fall on the stem, at a point diametrically opposite to the motile leaf, which was to serve as a indicator for induced variation of turgor at the distal side. The leaf was attached to the recording lever, the successive dots in the record being at intervals of ten seconds. Stimulation by light caused a positive or erectile movement within 20 seconds of application. The positive response afforded a conclusive proof of the induction of an increase of turgor at the distal point. When the stimulus is moderate or of short duration, the response remains positive. But with strong or prolonged stimulation, the slower excitatory negative impulse is conducted to the distal point and brings about the sudden fall of the leaf (Fig. 100). In the present case the excitatory impulse reached the motile organ 200 seconds after the initiation of the positive response. The stem was thin, only 2 mm. in diameter. The velocity of excitatory impulse in a transverse direction is thus 0·01 mm. per second; transverse transmission is, for obvious reasons, a much slower process than longitudinal transmission of excitation; in the Mimosa stem this is about 4 mm. per second.

Fig. 101.—Response of leaf of Mimosa under transverse transmission of electric stimulus. (Compare this with fig. 100.)

Unilateral electric stimulation: Experiment 105.—In order to show that the effects described above are not due to any particular mode of stimulation but to stimuli in general, I carried out an additional experiment, the stimulus employed being electrical. Two fine pin-electrodes were pricked into the stem, opposite to the responding leaf of Mimosa; these electrodes were placed vertically one above the other, 5 mm. apart. After a suitable period, allowed for recovery from mechanical irritation, feeble tetanising electric shock was passed through the electrodes. The responsive effects at the distal side of the stem is precisely similar to those induced under unilateral photic stimulation; that is to say, the first effect was an erectile movement of the leaf, indicative of an induced enhancement of turgor; the excitatory negative impulse then reached the distal point and caused a sudden fall of the leaf (Fig. 101).

The experiments that have just been described are of much significance. An organ like the stem of Mimosa, since it exhibits no contraction, may appear insensitive to stimulation; but its perception of stimulus is shown by its power of transmitting two characteristic impulses, one of which is the positive, giving rise to an enhancement of turgor, and the other, the true excitatory negative, inducing the opposite reaction or diminution of turgor. Unilateral stimulation gives rise to both these effects in all organs: pulvinated, growing, and non-growing. It was the fortunate circumstance of the insertion of the motile leaf on one side of the Mimosa stem that enabled us to demonstrate the important facts given above.

The underlying reactions, which give rise to tropic curvature, could have been foretold from the Laws of effects of Direct and Indirect stimulation, established in previous chapters (pp. 136, 216). The resulting curvature is thus brought about by the joint effects of direct stimulation of the proximal, and indirect stimulation of the distal side. We may now recapitulate some of the important facts relating to tropic curvatures:

Indirect stimulation gives rise to dual impulses, positive and negative; of these the positive impulse is practically independent of the conducting power of the tissue; but the transmission of the excitatory negative impulse is dependent on the conducting power. No tissue is a perfect conductor, nor is any a perfect non-conductor of excitation, the difference is a question of degree. In a petiole or a stem the conducting power along the direction of length is considerable, but very feeble in a transverse direction. In a semi-conducting tissue, a feeble stimulus will transmit only the positive impulse; strong or long continued stimulation will transmit both positive and negative impulses, the positive preceding the negative. The transmitted positive gives rise to increase of turgor, expansion, and acceleration of rate of growth; the negative induces the opposite reaction of diminution of turgor, of contraction, and of retardation of rate of growth. Transverse transmission is only a particular instance of transmission in general; the only difference is that the conducting power for excitation is very much less in the transverse than in the longitudinal direction. Owing to feeble transverse conductivity, the transmitted impulse to the distal side often remains positive; it is only under strong or continued stimulation that the excitatory negative reaches the distal side and neutralises or reverses the previous positive reaction. If the distal is the more excitable side, the reversed response will appear as pronounced negative. I give a table which will clearly exhibit the effects of stimulus on the proximal and distal sides of the responding organ.

TABLE XXIV.—SHOWING RESPONSIVE EFFECTS COMMON TO PULVINI AND GROWING ORGANS UNDER UNILATERAL STIMULATION.

The diagram which I have already given (Fig. 98) clearly explains the different tropic effects induced by changing the point of application of stimulus. We may thus have stimulus applied at the responding region itself (Direct Stimulation) or at some distance from it (Indirect Stimulation). The final effect will be modified by the conducting power of the tissue.

DIRECT UNILATERAL STIMULATION.

Type I.—The tissue has little or no power of transverse conduction: stimulus remains localised, the proximal side undergoes contraction, and the distal side expansion. The result is a positive curvature.

Type II.—The tissue is transversely conducting. Under strong and long continued stimulation the excitatory impulse reaches the distal side, neutralising or reversing the first effect.

INDIRECT UNILATERAL STIMULATION.

Type I.—The intervening tissue is an indifferent conductor: transmitted positive impulse induces expansion and convexity on the same side, thus giving rise to negative curvature (i.e., away from stimulus).

Type II.—Intervening tissue is a fairly good conductor: the effect of positive impulse is over-powered by the predominant excitatory negative impulse, the final result is a concavity and positive curvature, with movement towards the stimulus.

The following is a tabular statement of the different effects induced by Direct and Indirect stimulation.

TABLE XXV.—SHOWING DIFFERENCE OF EFFECTS INDUCED BY DIRECT AND INDIRECT STIMULATION.

The results of investigations already described, enable us to formulate the general laws of tropic curvature applicable to all forms of stimuli, and to all types of responding organs, pulvinated or growing.

LAWS OF TROPIC CURVATURE.

1. (a) DIRECT APPLICATION OF UNILATERAL STIMULUS OF MODERATE INTENSITY, INDUCES A POSITIVE OR CONCAVE CURVATURE, BY THE CONTRACTION OF THE PROXIMAL AND EXPANSION OF THE DISTAL SIDE.

(b) UNDER STRONG OR LONG-CONTINUED STIMULATION, THE POSITIVE CURVATURE IS NEUTRALISED OR REVERSED, BY TRANSVERSE CONDUCTION OF EXCITATION; THIS EFFECT IS ACCENTUATED BY THE DIFFERENTIAL EXCITABILITY OF THE TWO SIDES OF THE ORGAN.

2. (a) INDIRECT APPLICATION OF UNILATERAL STIMULUS OF FEEBLE INTENSITY INDUCES A NEGATIVE CURVATURE.

(b) IN A CONDUCTING TISSUE THE EXCITATORY EFFECT BEING TRANSMITTED UNDER STRONG AND LONG CONTINUED STIMULATION, INDUCES A POSITIVE CURVATURE.

It will thus be seen that the tropic effect is modified by:

(1) the point of application of stimulus,

(2) the intensity and duration of stimulus,

(3) the conducting power of tissue in the transverse direction,

(4) the relative excitabilities of the proximal and distal sides of the organ.

In the following series of Papers the tropic effects of various forms of stimuli will be studied in detail.

SUMMARY.

In a semi-conducting tissue Direct stimulation induces a diminution of turgor and contraction, Indirect stimulation inducing the opposite effect of increase of turgor and expansion.

Unilateral stimulation thus induces a positive curvature by the joint effects of contraction at the proximal, and expansion at the distal side.

Under strong and long continued unilateral stimulation, the excitation at the proximal side is transmitted to the distal side. Transverse conduction thus neutralises or reverses the normal positive curvature.

[3] "Plant Response"—p. 519.

XXVI.—MECHANOTROPISM: TWINING OF TENDRILS

By
Sir J. C. Bose,
Assisted by
Guruprasanna Das.

In response to the stimulus of contact a tendril twines round its support. Certain tendrils are uniformly sensitive on all sides; but in other cases, as in the tendril of Passiflora, the sensitiveness is greater on the under side. A curvature is induced when this side is rubbed with a splinter of wood, the stimulated under side becoming concave. This movement may be distinguished as a movement of curling. There is, as I shall presently show, a response where the under side becomes convex, and the curvature becomes reversed.

As regards perception of mechanical stimulus, Pfeffer discovered tactile pits in the tendrils Cucurbitaceæ. These pits no doubt facilitate sudden deformation of the sensitive protoplasm by frictional contact. No satisfactory explanation has however been offered as regards the physiological machinery of responsive movement. The difficulty of explanation of twining movements is accentuated by a peculiarity in the response of tendrils which is extremely puzzling. This anomaly was observed by Fitting in tendrils which are sensitive on the under side:

"If a small part of the upper side and at the same time the whole of the under side be stimulated, curvature takes place only at the places on the under side which lie opposite to the unstimulated regions of the upper side. The sensitiveness to contact is thus as well developed on the upper side as on the under side, and the difference between the two sides lies in the fact that while stimulation of the under side induces curvature, stimulation of the upper side induces no visible result, or simply inhibits curvature on the under side, according to circumstances."[4]

Here then we have the inexplicable phenomenon of a particular tissue, itself incapable of response, yet arresting the movement in a neighbouring tissue.

The problem before us may be thus stated: Is the movement of the tendril due to certain specific sensibility of the organ, on account of which its reactions are characteristically different from other tropic movements? Or, does the twining of tendril come under the law of tropic curvature that has been established, namely that it is brought about by the contraction of the directly stimulated proximal side, and the expansion of the indirectly stimulated distal side?

I shall now describe my investigations on the effects of direct and indirect stimulus on the growth of tendril; I have in this investigation studied the effect not merely of mechanical, but also of other forms of stimuli. I shall also describe the diverse effects induced by mechanical stimulus under different conditions. From the results of these experiments I shall be able to show that the twining of the tendril comes under the general law of tropic curvature; that the curvature results from the contraction of the proximal and expansion of the distal side. Finally I shall be able to offer a satisfactory explanation of the inhibition of response of the tendril by the stimulation of the opposite side of the organ.

GENERAL EFFECTS OF INDIRECT AND DIRECT ELECTRIC STIMULATION ON THE GROWTH OF TENDRIL.

Fig. 102.—Diagrammatic representation of indirect and direct stimulation of tendril.

For this experiment I took a growing tendril of Cucurbita in which the sensitiveness is more or less uniform on all sides. The tendril was suitably mounted on the Balanced Crescograph, which records the variation of the rate of growth induced by immediate and after-effect of stimulus. The specimen is held in a clamp as in the diagram (Fig. 102), the tip being suitably attached to the recording lever. For indirect stimulation feeble shock from an induction coil is applied at the two electric connections below the clamp. Direct stimulus is applied by means of electric connections one above and the other below the clamp.

Fig. 103.—Record by Method of Balance, showing acceleration of growth of tendril (up-curve) induced by indirect stimulation. (Cucurbita.)

Effect of Indirect Stimulus: Experiment 106.—The growth of the tendril was exactly balanced, and the record became horizontal. Indirect stimulus was next applied below the clamp; this is seen to upset the balance, with the resulting up-curve which indicates a sudden acceleration of growth above the normal. This acceleration took place within ten seconds of the application of stimulus, and persisted for three minutes; after this the normal rate of growth became restored, as seen by the balanced record once more becoming horizontal (Fig. 103).

Effect of Direct Stimulus: Experiment 107.—The incipient contraction induced by direct stimulation is so great that the record obtained by the delicate method of balance cannot be kept within the plate. I, therefore, took the ordinary growth-curve on a moving plate. The first part of the curve represents normal growth; stimulus of feeble electric shock was applied at the highest point of the curve. This is seen (Fig. 104) to induce an immediate contraction and reversal of the curve which persisted for two and half minutes, after which growth was slowly renewed. The most interesting fact regarding the after-effect of stimulus is that the rate of growth became actually enhanced to three times the normal. This is clearly seen in the record (upper half of the figure) taken 20 minutes after stimulation, where the curve is far more erect than that of the normal rate of growth before stimulation.

Fig. 104.—Variation of growth induced by direct stimulation. First part of the curve shows normal rate of growth. Direct stimulation induces contraction (reversal of curve). After-effect of stimulus seen in highly erect curve in upper part of record, taken 20 minutes after.

The effects of Indirect and Direct stimulation of the tendril are summarised below:

(1) Indirect stimulation induces a sudden enhancement of rate of growth, followed by a recovery of the normal rate.

(2) Direct stimulation induces a retardation of the rate of growth which may culminate into an actual contraction. The after-effect of direct stimulus of moderate intensity is an enhancement of the rate of growth.

The experiments described above demonstrate the effects of direct and indirect electrical stimulus. I shall now proceed to show that mechanical stimulus induces effects which are similar to those of electric stimulus.

EFFECTS OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT MECHANICAL STIMULUS.

Effect of Direct mechanical stimulus: Experiment 108.—In this case I took a tendril of Cucurbita, and attached it to the ordinary High Magnification Crescograph, the record of which gives the absolute rate of its normal growth, and the induced variation of that rate. The tendril was stimulated mechanically by simultaneous friction of its different sides. The immediate effect was a retardation of growth, the reduced rate being less than half the normal. There was a recovery on the cessation of the stimulus; the rate of growth was even slightly enhanced after an interval of 15 minutes. Table XXVI shows the immediate and after-effects of mechanical stimulation on growth.

TABLE XXVI.—SHOWING THE IMMEDIATE AND AFTER-EFFECT OF MECHANICAL STIMULATION ON TENDRIL (Cucurbita).

The immediate and after-effects of mechanical stimulus on the tendril are therefore the same as that of electric stimulus. The incipient contraction under direct mechanical stimulus, moreover, is not the special characteristic of tendrils, but of growing plants in general. For I have shown (page 203) that the growth of flower stalk of Zephyranthes is also retarded after mechanical friction, from the normal rate 0·48 µ to 0·11 µ after stimulation. We shall find later that different plant organs, after moderate stimulation, exhibit acceleration of growth as an after-effect. The phenomenon of responsive reaction of tendril is therefore not unique, but similar to that of other organs under all forms of stimulation. The only speciality in tendril is that owing to anatomical peculiarities, the perceptive power of the organ for mechanical stimulus is highly developed.

We are now in a position to offer an explanation of the induced concavity of the stimulated side of the tendril, and its recovery after brief contact. The experiments that have been described show that:

(1) the proximal side contracts because it is directly stimulated, and the distal side, being indirectly stimulated, expands; the curvature is thus due to the joint effects of contraction of one side, and expansion of the opposite side, and

(2) the recovery of the tendril after brief contact is hastened by the after-effect of stimulus, which is expansion and acceleration of growth.

The results given above will also be found to explain Fitting's important observations[5] that (a) the stimulated side of the tendril undergoes transient contraction with subsequent acceleration of growth, and that (b) the distal or convex side undergoes an immediate enhancement of growth.

Fig. 105.—Positive curvature of tendril of Cucurbita under unilateral stimulus of contact at x.

I give below a record given by a tendril of Cucurbita in response to unilateral contact of short duration (Fig. 105). Successive dots in the record are at intervals of three seconds. The latent period was ten seconds, and the maximum curvature was attained in the course of two and a half minutes. The curvature persisted for a further period of two minutes after which recovery was completed in the course of 12 minutes. Feeble stimulation is attended by a recovery within a short period, but under strong stimulus the induced curvature becomes more persistent.

INHIBITORY ACTION OF STIMULUS.

Fig. 106.—Diagrammatic representation of effects of Indirect and Direct unilateral stimulation of the tendril. Indirect stimulation, I, induces movement away from stimulated side (negative curvature) represented by continuous arrow. Direct stimulation, D, induces movement towards stimulus (positive curvature) indicated by dotted arrow.

I have referred to the remarkable observation of Fitting that though the application of stimulus on the upper side of the tendril of Passiflora did not induce any response, yet it inhibited the normal response of the under side.

The results of experiments which I have described will, however, afford a satisfactory explanation of this curious inhibition. It has been explained, that the curvature of the tendril is due to the joint effects of diminished turgor and contraction at the directly stimulated side, and an enhancement of turgor and expansion on the opposite side. In the diagram seen in figure 106, the left is the more excitable side, and contraction will induce concavity of the stimulated side. But if the opposite or less excitable side of the tendril be stimulated at the same time, then the transmitted effect of indirect stimulus will induce enhancement of turgor and expansion on the left side, and thus neutralise the previous effect of direct stimulus. An inhibition of response will thus result from the stimulation of the opposite side.

A difficulty arises here from the fact that the upper side of the tendril (the right side in Fig. 106) is supposed to be inexcitable and non-contractile. Hence there may be a misgiving that the stimulation of the non-motile side may not induce the effect of indirect stimulus (an increase of turgor and expansion) at the opposite side, which is to inhibit the response. But I have shown that even a non-contractile organ under stimulus generates both the impulses, positive and negative. This is seen illustrated in figure 100, where the rigid stem of Mimosa was subjected to unilateral stimulation; the effect of indirect stimulus was found to induce an enhancement of turgor at the diametrically opposite side, and thus caused an erectile movement of the motile leaf. Electric investigations which I have carried out also corroborate the results given above. Here also stimulation of a non-motile organ at any point, induces at a diametrically opposite point, a positive electric variation indicative of enhanced turgor. It will thus be seen that inhibition is possible even in the absence of contraction of the upper side of the tendril; hence the contraction of the directly stimulated side is neutralised by the effect of indirect stimulation of the distal side.

RESPONSE OF LESS EXCITABLE SIDE OF THE TENDRIL.

It is generally supposed that the upper side of the tendril of Passiflora is devoid of contractility. This is however not the case, for my experiments show that stimulation of the upper side also induces contraction and concavity of that side, though the actual movement is relatively feeble.

Experiment 109.—In order to subject the question to quantitative test I applied feeble stimulus of the same intensity on upper and lower side alternately. Successive stimuli were kept more or less uniform by employing the following device. I took a flat strip of wood 1 cm. in breadth, and coated 2 cm. of its length with shellac varnish mixed with fine emery powder. On drying the surface became rough, the flat surface was gently pressed against the area of the tendril to be stimulated, and quickly drawn so that the rough surface 2 cm.×1 cm. was rubbed against the tendril in each experiment. Stimulation, thus produced, induced a responsive movement of each side of the organ. The extent of the maximum movement was measured by the microscope micrometer. The following results were obtained with four different specimens.

TABLE XXVII.—SHOWING THE RELATIVE INTENSITIES OF RESPONSES OF THE UPPER AND UNDER SIDE OF TENDRIL (Passiflora).

It will thus be seen that the upper side of the tendril is not totally inexcitable, its power of contraction being about one-seventh that of the under side.

NEGATIVE CURVATURE OF THE TENDRIL.

I shall now describe certain remarkable results which show that under certain definite conditions the tendril moves away from the stimulated side. I have explained, how in growing organs the effect of unilateral stimulus longitudinally transmitted, induces an expansion higher up on the same side to which the stimulus is applied, resulting in convexity and movement away from the stimulus (cf. Laws of Tropic Curvatures, p. 286). As the reaction of tendril is in no way different from that of growing organs in general, it occurred to me that it would be possible to induce in it a negative curvature by application of indirect unilateral stimulus.

Experiment 110.—A tendril of Passiflora was held in a clamp, as in the diagram (Fig. 106) in which the left is the more excitable side of the organ. The responsive movement of the tendril is observed by focussing a reading microscope on a mark on the upper part of the tendril. Direct mechanical stimulation at the dotted arrow makes the tendril move in the same direction, the response being positive. But if stimulus be applied on the same side below the clamp the tendril is found to move away from stimulus, the response being now negative. This reversal of response, as previously stated, is due to the fact that the transmitted effect of indirect stimulus induces an acceleration of growth higher up on the same side, which now becomes convex. The result though unexpected, is in every way parallel to the response of the flower bud of Crinum, in which the normal positive response was converted into negative by changing the point of application of stimulus, so that it became indirect (p. 216).

SUMMARY.

The response of tendril is in no way different from that of growing organs in general.

Direct stimulus, electrical or mechanical, induces an incipient contraction; the after-effect of a feeble stimulus is an acceleration of growth above the normal. Indirect stimulus induces an enhancement of the rate of growth.

Under unilateral mechanical stimulus of short duration the directly excited proximal side undergoes contraction, the indirectly stimulated distal side exhibits the opposite effect of expansion. The induced curvature is thus due to the joint effects of the contraction of one side, and the expansion of the opposite side.

As the after-effect of direct stimulus is an acceleration of growth above the normal, the stimulated side undergoes an expansion by which the recovery is hastened.

Unilateral application of direct stimulus induces a positive curvature, but the same stimulus applied at a distance from the responding region induces a negative curvature.

The tendril of Passiflora is excitable both on the upper and under sides: the excitability of the under side is about seven times greater than that of the upper side.

Stimulation of one side of the tendril induces an expansion of the opposite side, even in cases where the contractility of the stimulated side is feeble.

The response to stimulation of the more excitable side of the tendril is thus inhibited by the stimulation of the opposite side. This is because of the neutralisation of the effect of direct by that of indirect stimulation.

[4] Jost—Ibid—p. 490.

[5] Pfeffer—Ibid—Vol. III, p. 57.

XXVII.—ON GALVANOTROPISM

By
Sir J. C. Bose,
Assisted by
Guruprasanna Das.

Before describing the effect of unilateral application of an electrical current in inducing tropic curvature, I shall give an account of the polar effect of anode and cathode on the pulvinated and growing organs. In my previous work[6] on the action of electrical current on sensitive pulvini I have shown that:—

(1) at the 'make' of a current of moderate intensity a contraction takes place at the cathode; the anode induces no such contractile effect;

(2) at the 'make' of a stronger current both the anode and cathode induce contraction.

I have also carried out further investigations on the polar effect of current on the autonomous activity of the leaflet of Desmodium gyrans. These rhythmic pulsations can be recorded by my Oscillating Recorder. Each pulsation consists of a sudden contractile movement downwards, corresponding to the systole of a beating heart, and a slower up movement of diastolic expansion. Application of cathode at the pulvinule was found to exert a contractile reaction, exhibited either by the reduction of normal limit of diastolic expansion, or by an arrest of movement at systole. The effect of anode was precisely the opposite; the induced expansion was exhibited either by reduction of normal limit of systolic contraction, or by arrest of pulsation at diastole.

From the above results it is seen that with a feeble current:

(1) contraction is induced at the cathode, and

(2) expansion is brought about at the anode.

These effects take place under the action of a feeble current. Under strong currents, contraction takes place both at the anode and the cathode.

POLAR EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL CURRENT ON GROWTH.

The object of this investigation was to determine whether anode and cathode exerted similar discriminative and opposite effects on growth. For this experiment I took a specimen of Kysoor and determined the region where growth was maximum. A piece of moist cloth was wrapped round this region to serve as one of the two electrodes. The second electrode was placed in the neighbouring indifferent region where there had been a cessation of growth.

Effect of Cathode: Experiment 111.—The particular specimen of Kysoor had a normal rate of growth of 0·48 µ per second. On application of the cathode the rate was reduced to 0·14 µ per second, or to less than a third. This will be seen in record (Fig. 107), where N is the normal rate of growth and K, retarded rate under the action of the cathode.

Fig. 107.—Retardation of rate of growth under the action of cathode (Kysoor).

Fig. 108.—Acceleration of rate of growth under anode (Kysoor).

Effect of anode: Experiment 112.—If the cathode induced a retardation, the anode might be expected to induce an acceleration of growth. But in my first experiment on the action of anode, I could detect no perceptible variation of rate of growth. In trying to account for this failure, I found that the specimen employed for the experiment had normally a very rapid rate of growth. It appeared that an induced acceleration would be brought out more conspicuously by choosing a specimen in which the growth-rate was low, rather than in one in which it was near its maximum. Acting on this idea, I took another specimen of Kysoor in which the normal rate was as slow as 0·10 µ per second. On applying the anode to the growing region, there was an enhancement to one and half times the normal rate (Fig. 108).

TABLE XXVIII.—EFFECT OF ANODE AND CATHODE ON GROWTH (Kysoor).

The effects given above take place under the action of a feeble current. Strong current on the other hand induces a retardation or an arrest of growth.

I have in the above experiments demonstrated the normal effect of anode in inducing expansion and acceleration of rate of growth; the cathode was shown to induce contraction and retardation of growth. Unilateral application of anode and cathode thus induces appropriate curvatures in pulvinated and in growing organs.

SUMMARY.

The effects of an electric current on growth is modified by the direction of current. A feeble anodic current enhances the rate of growth; a cathodic current on the other hand induces a retardation of the rate. Strong current, both anodic and cathodic, induces a retardation.

[6] "Irritability of Plants," p. 212.

XXVIII.—ON THERMONASTIC PHENOMENA

By
Sir J. C. Bose,
Assisted by
Surendra Chandra Das.