Skip to main content
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1968 Nov;43(11):1786–1792. doi: 10.1104/pp.43.11.1786

Second Positive Phototropism in the Avena Coleoptile

Marylee Everett 1,1,2, Kenneth V Thimann 1
PMCID: PMC1087079  PMID: 16656972

Abstract

A method has been developed whereby the second positive phototropism can be observed separately from the first positive and negative phototropic responses which also occur in oat coleoptiles. Although the second positive phototropic response has often been referred to as the base response, photoreception for it is shown to occur mainly in the apical 3 mm of the coleoptile. The Bunsen-Roscoe reciprocity law, so typical of first positive phototropism, does not apply to the second positive responses, and the amount of curvature increases linearly with the duration of the stimulus. However, although this linear proportionality between stimulus duration and response is the major factor determining response at all intensities tested, the intensity of the stimulus does influence the response somewhat. The action spectrum for the response shows no activity above 510 nm and has peaks at 375 and 450 nm. In all but one particular it closely resembles the action spectrum for the first positive phototropism, and it is concluded that the same, or similar, pigments may well be the photoreceptors for both types of response. The identity of this blue light absorbing pigment is not known.

Full text

PDF
1786

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Curry G. M., Gruen H. E. ACTION SPECTRA FOR THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PHOTOTROPISM OF PHYCOMYCES SPORANGIOPHORES. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1959 Jun;45(6):797–804. doi: 10.1073/pnas.45.6.797. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. FOELDI M., STARK E., REV J., MIHALY K., HERMAN R., REFI Z. [Spontaneous benzoic acid excretion in kidney diseases]. Acta Med Acad Sci Hung. 1959;14:303–311. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Zimmerman B. K., Briggs W. R. Phototropic Dosage-Response Curves for Oat Coleoptiles. Plant Physiol. 1963 May;38(3):248–253. doi: 10.1104/pp.38.3.248. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES