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Hydrotropism in pea roots in a porous-tube water delivery systemOrientation of root growth on earth and under microgravity conditions can possibly be controlled by hydrotropism--growth toward a moisture source in the absence of or reduced gravitropism. A porous-tube water delivery system being used for plant growth studies is appropriate for testing this hypothesis since roots can be grown aeroponically in this system. When the roots of the agravitropic mutant pea ageotropum (Pisum sativum L.) were placed vertically in air of 91% relative humidity and 2 to 3 mm from the water-saturated porous tube placed horizontally, the roots responded hydrotropically and grew in a continuous arch along the circular surface of the tube. By contrast, normal gravitropic roots of Alaska' pea initially showed a slight transient curvature toward the tube and then resumed vertical downward growth due to gravitropism. Thus, in microgravity, normal gravitropic roots could respond to a moisture gradient as strongly as the agravitropic roots used in this study. Hydrotropism should be considered a significant factor responsible for orientation of root growth in microgravity.
Document ID
20040090388
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Takahashi, H.
(Institute of Genetic Ecology, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan)
Brown, C. S.
Dreschel, T. W.
Scott, T. K.
Knott, W. M.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: HortScience : a publication of the American Society for Horticultural Science
Volume: 27
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0018-5345
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-1842
CONTRACT_GRANT: 837907-7
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Program CELSS
NASA Discipline Life Support Systems
NASA Discipline Number 61-20
NASA Discipline Number 40-50
NASA Program Space Biology
NASA Discipline Plant Biology
NASA Center KSC
Non-NASA Center

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