The Effect of Mechanically Induced Stress on the Growth of Cauliflower, Lettuce and Celery Seedlings

Biddington, N. L.; Dearman, A. S.

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a086869

Cited by 88 publications

(80 citation statements)

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“…Although the effects of MS have been well known for several decades (Biddington & Dearman 1985, Braam & Davis 1990, Jaffe 1973, Latimer et al 1991, Mitchell 1996, in terms of impacts on plant morphological development during early growth and development, there is somewhat less data available on flower and fruit production (Akers & Mitchell 1985, Jones & Mitchell 1992, Latimer et al 1991. Although MS seems to have potential as a tool for managing crown architecture in spaceflight plant production systems, the influence on fruit production needs further study to ensure the systems are truly optimal from a life-support perspective.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical Stimulation Modifies Canopy Architecture and Improves Volume Utilization Efficiency in Bell Pepper: Implications for Bioregenerative Life-support and Vertical Farming

Graham

Wheeler

2017

Open Agriculture

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Open Agriculture. 2017; 2: 42-51 vertical system requirements or by expanding the species range that can be grown in a fixed production volume. Mechanical stimulation is also discussed as a microgravity countermeasure for crop plants.Keywords: Thigmomorphogenesis, Plant Dwarfing, Capsicum annum 'California Wonder', Advanced LifeSupport, Vertical Agriculture IntroductionIt has long been recognized that mechanical stimulation (MS; stress), such as wind action, rubbing, constriction, shaking, and encounters with physical barriers can have a dramatic influence on plant morphological development (Biddington 1986, Darwin 1880, Jaffe 1973, Mitchell et al. 1975, Mitchell 1977. Jaffe (1973) demonstrated that daily MS to partially mature internode tissue, applied by rubbing stem tissue between two fingers, could induce dramatic reductions in internode length resulting in dwarf phenotypes in a range of crop species. Jaffe (1973) coined the term thigmomorphogenesis, (thigma being the Greek word for touch) to describe these long term morphological responses to touch. Over the ensuing 40 years many others have followed up on Jaffe's work, notably amongst others, Cary Mitchell's group at Purdue (West Lafayette, IN, USA), Joyce Latimer at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA, USA), and Janet Braam at Rice University (Houston, TX, USA). It is now known that thigmomorphogenesis includes a wide range of responses including, but not limited to, shortening of internodes, stem thickening, reduced leaf expansion, changes in chlorophyll content, and alterations in plant hormone levels (Beyl & Mitchell 1983, Biddington 1986, Braam 2005, Chehab et al. 2008, Latimer et al. 1991, Mitchell & Myers 1995, Monshausen & Haswell 2013. Abstract: Mechanical stimuli or stress has been shown to induce characteristic morphogenic responses (thigmomorphogenesis) in a range of crop species. The typical mechanically stimulated phenotype is shorter and more compact than non-mechanically stimulated plants. This dwarfing effect can be employed to help conform crop plants to the constraints of spaceflight and vertical agriculture crop production systems. Capsicum annum (cv. California Wonder) plants were grown in controlled environment chambers and subjected to mechanical stimulation in the form of firm but gentle daily rubbing of internode tissue with a tightly wrapped cotton swab. Two studies were conducted, the first being a vegetative growth phase study in which plants were mechanically stimulated until anthesis. The second study carried the mechanical stimulation through to fruit set. The response during the vegetative growth experiment was consistent with other results in the literature, with a general reduction in all plant growth metrics and an increase in relative chlorophyll (SPAD) content under mechanical stimulation. In the fruiting phase study, only height and stem thickness differed from the control plants. Using the data from the fruiting study, a rudimentary calculation of volume use efficiency (VUE) improvements was conducted. Results suggest t...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical Stimulation Modifies Canopy Architecture and Improves Volume Utilization Efficiency in Bell Pepper: Implications for Bioregenerative Life-support and Vertical Farming

Graham

Wheeler

2017

Open Agriculture

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“…It is often accompanied by an increase in radial thickness as occurs in P. vulgaris [44] and several woody species [42,52,60] . However in some species such as tomato [37] and cauliflower [12] stem diameter is reduced . Trees which are braced, and hence not subjected to windsway, have thinner trunks than unstayed trees which are allowed to sway in the wind [42,52] .…”

Section: Mis Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However Pressman et al . [65] found no reduction in the length of celery petioles which were rubbed daily although Biddington and Dearman [12] reported a considerably reduction in petiole length in celery seedlings at the 4 leaf stage, which had been brushed daily since the cotyledon stage . In such plants as lettuce which have no discernible petioles the leaf length :width ratio is decreased [121 .…”

Section: Mis Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of mechanically-induced stress in plants ? a review

Biddington¹

1986

Plant Growth Regul

172

145

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Mechanically-induced stress (MIS) occurs naturally in plants as the aerial parts are moved, usually by wind, but also by such agents as rain and animals . It can be induced indoors by various actions such as rubbing or bending the stem or shaking or brushing the entire shoot . The most noticeable effect of MIS is a reduction in stem, leaf or petiole length invariably resulting in plants which are smaller and more compact than unstressed controls. However, the response of other variables can often differ between species and there may be either increases or decreases in stem or petiole diameter, root : shoot weight ratio, chlorophyll content or drought resistance . Why species should differ in this way, and what is the endogenous control mechanism for MIS responses, are unanswered questions . Ethylene, which increases as a result of MIS in several species may cause some MIS responses such as increased stem diameter, epinasty or a change in sex expression . However, evidence suggests that MIS retardation of extension growth may equally be due to lower or supraoptimal auxin levels or lower gibberellin levels .The uses in the field of the growth promoter gibberellin or the growth retardant chlormequat chloride (CCC) appear to be examples of respectively reversing or stimulating MIS growth response . MIS may be applied indoors if short compact plants are needed, either for aesthetic purposes as with floral crops, or if hardier and more manageable plants are needed, such as seedlings for transplanting in the field . Much more research is needed to estimate the importance of MIS in the field and to assess how such knowledge may be used to improve crop yield .

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“…The modification of growth by external mechanical loading is known as thigmomorphogenesis. The thigmomorphogenetical syndrome was reported by Boyer (1967) and Jaffe (1973) and has been subsequently described at the whole plant level in herbaceous plants (Biddington and Dearman, 1985;Latimer et al, 1986; for review, see Biddington, 1986) as well as woody plants (Telewski and Pruyn, 1998;Coutand et al, 2008). In plant stems, this syndrome generally combines a reduction of elongation and a stimulation of diameter growth, in comparison with unstimulated plants (Telewski and Pruyn, 1998;Coutand et al, 2008), and involves local as well as long-distance signaling .…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Strain Mechanosensing Quantitatively Controls Diameter Growth and PtaZFP2 Gene Expression in Poplar

et al. 2009

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Mechanical signals are important factors that control plant growth and development. External mechanical loadings lead to a decrease in elongation and a stimulation of diameter growth, a syndrome known as thigmomorphogenesis. A previous study has demonstrated that plants perceive the strains they are subjected to and not forces or stresses. On this basis, an integrative biomechanical model of mechanosensing was established ("sum-of-strains model") and tested on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) elongation but not for local responses such as diameter growth or gene expression. The first aim of this interdisciplinary work was to provide a quantitative study of the effect of a single transitory bending on poplar (Populus tremula 3 alba) diameter growth and on the expression level of a primary mechanosensitive transcription factor gene, PtaZFP2. The second aim of this work was to assess the sum-of-strains model of mechanosensing on these local responses. An original bending device was built to study stem responses according to a controlled range of strains. A single bending modified plant diameter growth and increased the relative abundance of PtaZFP2 transcripts. Integrals of longitudinal strains induced by bending on the responding tissues were highly correlated to local plant responses. The sum-of-strains model of mechanosensing established for stem elongation was thus applicable for local responses at two scales: diameter growth and gene expression.

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The Effect of Mechanically Induced Stress on the Growth of Cauliflower, Lettuce and Celery Seedlings

Cited by 88 publications

References 8 publications

Mechanical Stimulation Modifies Canopy Architecture and Improves Volume Utilization Efficiency in Bell Pepper: Implications for Bioregenerative Life-support and Vertical Farming

Mechanical Stimulation Modifies Canopy Architecture and Improves Volume Utilization Efficiency in Bell Pepper: Implications for Bioregenerative Life-support and Vertical Farming

The effects of mechanically-induced stress in plants ? a review

Strain Mechanosensing Quantitatively Controls Diameter Growth and PtaZFP2 Gene Expression in Poplar

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