Thigmomorphogenesis: the effect of mechanical perturbation on plants

Abstract

Thigmomorphogenetic responses occur in many environmental settings. The most pronounced effects are found under conditions of extremely high rates of turbulent wind or water flow. However, it is an ubiquitous phenomenon, since mechanical perturbations are to be encountered under all but the most stringent laboratory conditions. Our present understanding of these phenomena is the result of studies at the ecological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical, biophysical and molecular biological levels.

Effects of Mechanical Stress and Plant Density on Mechanical Characteristics, Growth, and Lifetime Reproduction of Tobacco Plants

“…Similar responses have been observed in other studies (e.g., Jaffe and Forbes 1993;Niklas 1998;Mitchell 2003), and they most likely increase the mechanical stability of plants (Niklas 1992(Niklas , 1998. Among the solitary plants in experiment 2, the difference in height between flexed and control plants increased to about 16 cm during the first 28 days of the experiment, after which it remained constant.…”

The Arabidopsis TCH4 Xyloglucan Endotransglycosylase (Substrate Specificity, pH Optimum, and Cold Tolerance)

“…11 5,1997 responses to environmental and hormonal stimuli through modification of the cell wall. For example, plants that are repeatedly touched generally grow shorter and stockier and may increase in strength and flexibility (for review, see Biddington, 1986;Jaffe and Forbes, 1993;Mitchell and Myers, 1995); these changes likely involve cell wall modifications. Auxin and brassinosteroid enhance growth; increased TCH4 expression may be an important step in hormone-induced alterations for cell expansion.…”

Plants on the move: Towards common mechanisms governing mechanically-induced plant movements

“…Thigmomorphogenesis, for example, is the physiological and morphological adaptation produced by plants in response to environmental mechanical influences generating morphogenetic changes. 2,3 The mechanical influences could be natural factors as wind, vibrations and animal rubbing. 2,3 Wind, for example, can influence photosynthetic rates, gaseous exchanges, growth, plant architecture and can even contribute to shape the evolutionary history of land plants.…”

“…2,3 The mechanical influences could be natural factors as wind, vibrations and animal rubbing. 2,3 Wind, for example, can influence photosynthetic rates, gaseous exchanges, growth, plant architecture and can even contribute to shape the evolutionary history of land plants. 4,5 We will focus this review on thigmotropic and thigmonastic movements, both in vegetative and reproductive parts of higher plants, because recent findings pointed to conserved molecules and/or operational molecular modules among diverse types of touch-induced plant movements that could help us to improve our understanding of how the plants transduce mechanical stimuli.…”