Page:Life Movements in Plants.djvu/221

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TURGOR AND TENSION ON GROWTH
191

in the longer limb. Table XIII shows how increasing pressure enhances the rate of growth till a critical point is reached, beyond which there is a depression. This critical point varies in different plants.

TABLE XIII.—EFFECT OF INCREASED INTERNAL HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE (Kysoor).

Specimen. Hydrostatic pressure. Rate of growth.
No. I
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
Normal
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
0.18 μ per second.
2 cm. pressure
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
0.20 μ per second.
4 cm. pressure
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
0.11 μ per second.
No. II
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
Normal
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
0.13 μ per second.
1 cm. pressure
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
0.20 μ per second.
3 cm. pressure
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
0.18 μ per second.
4 cm. pressure
…          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …          …
0.15 μ per second.


RESPONSE TO NEGATIVE VARIATION OF TURGOR.

I shall now describe the influence of induced diminution of turgor on the rate of growth.

Method of plasmolysis: Experiment 72.—Being desirous of demonstrating the responsive growth variations of opposite signs in an identical specimen under alternate increase and diminution of turgor, I continued the experiment with the same peduncle of Zephyranthes in which the growth acceleration was induced by irrigation with warm water. In that experiment the growth rate of 0.04 μ per second was enhanced to 0.20 μ per second after irrigation. A strong solution of KNO3 was now applied at the root;

 

Fig. 71.—Effect of alternate increase and diminution of turgor on the same specimen: N, normal rate under drought; H, enhanced rate under irrigation with warm water; N′, normal permanent rate after irrigation; P, diminished rate after plasmolysis (Zephyranthes).