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Interaction of growth-determining systems with gravity

1986; Elsevier BV; Volume: 6; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0273-1177(86)90069-4

1879-1948

A. Merkys, R.S. Laurinavičius, D.P. Bendoraityte, D. Švegždienė, O. Rupainiené,

Light effects on plants

The experiments have been carried out with lettuce shoots on board the Salyut-7 orbital station, the Kosmos-1667 biological satellite and under ground conditions at 180° plant inversion. By means of the centrifuge Biogravistat-1M the threshold value of gravitational sensitivity of lettuce shoots has been determined on board the Salyut-7 station. It was found to be equal to 2.9 × 10−3g for hypocotyls and 1.5 × 10−4g for roots. The following results have been received in the experiment performed on board the Kosmos-1667 satellite: a) under microgravity the proliferation of the meristem cells and the growth of roots did not differ from the control; b) the growth of hypocotyls in length was significantly enhanced in microgravity; c) under microgravity transverse growth of hypocotyls (increase in cross sectional area) was significantly increased due to enhancement of cortical parenchyma cell growth. At 180° inversion in Earth's gravity root extension growth and rate of cell division in the root apical meristem were decreased. The determination of DNA-fuchsin value in the nuclei of the cell root apexes showed that inversion affected processess of the cell cycle preceeding cytokinesis.