On the mechanism of 60-Hz electric field induced effects inPisum sativum L. roots: Vertical field exposures

Abstract

Summary. Roots of Pisum sativum L. were chronically exposed to 60-Hz vertical electric fields ranging from 150 to 450 V/m in an aqueous medium whose conductivity was approximately 0.07 S/m. Control and exposed roots were grown concomitantly in the same tank whose medium was continuously circulated and maintained at 19 ° C. The experiments were conducted blind. Root growth rates were determined daily and the mitotic index was determined for various intervals over a 24-h period, ranging from 12 h before to 12 h after electrode energization. Root growth rates were affected in a dose dependent relationship by exposures greater than 250 V/m. Mitotic indices were not affected by 150 V/m but were affected at 350 V/m; the former exposure did not alter root growth rates, the latter did. The growth rates of vertically exposed roots were compared to those of horizontally exposed roots; the former are more sensitive at a given field strength. The observations are consistent with the postulate that the electric field acts upon the cell through a perturbation of the transmembrane potential.

Electric Field Effects on Guinea Pig Serum: The Role of Free Radicals

“…Marino et al (1983) also determined that the vertical electric field exposure is more effective than the horizontal exposure. In a research done in plant roots, it is also noted that the vertical electric field exposure is more effective on the growth speed of the roots (Miller et al, 1983;Roberston et al, 1981). In this study, the vertical application of electric fields was also found to be more effective than the horizontal one, but the differences were not statistically significant p > 0 05 .…”

Dynamic protoneural networks in plants

“…54 Endogenous large electric fields have also been described to accompany many polarized tip-growing cells such as algal rhizoids or root hairs 55 or traversing growing pollen tubes, 56 whereas many studies show that exogenous 60 Hz electric fields are able to act upon the cells through an alteration of transmembrane potentials. 57 Electrical, but also hormonal and hydraulic signals are known to modulate gene expression through transcription and translation via calcium-dependent cytoskeleton-protein-channels. 58 Beyond voltage-dependent ionic currents from excitable cells (cytosolic calcium waves are similar to those of animal cells), many examples of electrocoupling of transporters involving nonlinear oscillations of dynamic systems and providing long-term osmotic regulation are available like in the guard cells of the plasmalemma of certain plants.…”

Effects of 60‐Hz electric fields on cellular elongation and radial expansion growth in cucurbit roots

“…At EF strengths sufficient to reduce rates of root growth by 70-80% there was no effect on the growth of the terminal 1 mm of the root in either species [Brayman et al, 19861. The experiments described herein were designed to test directly the postulate that 60-Hz EF exposure inhibits cellular elongation growth in cucurbitaceous roots as it does in Pisum roots. An additional goal was to test further the hypothesis that such effects are related to 60-Hz-induced transmembrane potentials [Miller et al, , 1983Inoue et al, 1985b] by using the cell size data to estimate the induced potentials arising in the root cells under various EF exposure conditions.…”