RESEARCH IN CONTEXT: PART OF A SPECIAL ISSUE ON FU... - BV FAPESP
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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

RESEARCH IN CONTEXT: PART OF A SPECIAL ISSUE ON FUNCTIONAL-DEVELOPMENTAL PLANT CELL BIOLOGY Peter Barlow's insights and contributions to the study of tidal gravity variations and ultra-weak light emissions in plants

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Author(s):
Gallep, Cristiano M. [1] ; Viana, Joao F. [1] ; Cifra, Michal [2] ; Clarke, Dominic [3] ; Robert, Daniel [3]
Total Authors: 5
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Technol, DTT FT, R Paschoal Marmo 1888, BR-13484332 Limeira, SP - Brazil
[2] Czech Acad Sci, Inst Photon & Elect, Chaberska 57, Prague 18251 8 - Czech Republic
[3] Univ Bristol, Sch Biol Sci, Life Sci Bldg, 2B06, 24 Tyndall Ave, Bristol BS8 1TQ, Avon - England
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: ANNALS OF BOTANY; v. 122, n. 5, p. 757-766, OCT 5 2018.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

Background A brief review is given of Peter W. Barlows' contributions to research on gravity tide-related phenomena in plant biology, or `selenonastic' effects as he called them, including his early research on root growth. Also, new results are presented here from long-term recordings of spontaneous ultra-weak light emission during germination, reinforcing the relationship between local lunisolar tidal acceleration and seedling growth. Scope The main ideas and broad relevance of the work by Barlow and his collaborators about the effects of gravity on plants are reviewed, highlighting the necessity of new models to explain the apparent synchronism between root growth and microscale gravity changes 10' times lower than that exerted by the Earth's gravity. The new results, showing for the first time the germination of coffee beans in sequential tests over 2 months, confirm the co-variation between the patterns in ultra-weak light emission and the lunisolar tidal gravity curves for the initial growth phase. For young sprouts (<1 month old), the rhythm of growth as well as variation in light emission exhibit the once a day and twice a day periodic variations, frequency components that are the hallmark of local lunisolar gravimetric tides. Although present, this pattern is less pronounced in coffee beans older than 1 month. Conclusions The apparent co-variation between ultra-weak light emission and growth pattern in coffee seedlings and the lunisolar gravity cycles corroborate those previously found in seedlings from other species. It is proposed here that such patterns may attenuate with time for older sprouts with slow development. These data suggest that new models considering both intra- and intercellular interactions are needed to explain the putative sensing and reaction of seedlings to the variations in the gravimetric tide. Here, a possible model is presented based on supracellular matrix interconnections. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 16/50344-6 - The biomechanics and biophotonics of plant health and development
Grantee:Cristiano de Mello Gallep
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
FAPESP's process: 15/11280-0 - Photon-counting chamber with spectral and spatial discrimination for biological tests - applications in germination
Grantee:Cristiano de Mello Gallep
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants