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Plant and Cell Physiology, 1978, Vol. 19, No. 3 445-452
© 1978

Article

Spectral response of corn (Zea mays) in root geotropism1

J. Shen-Miller

Division of Biological and Medical Research, Argonne National Laboratory Argonne, Illinois 60439, U. S. A.

The primary roots of corn (Zea mays, Wisconsin hybrid 64A × 22R) show positive geotropism following exposure to light. This confirms the works of other investigators. The curvature response begins at about 1 hr following irradiation and reached a plateau at 5 hr. A study of wavelengths 350–760 nm, using energies of 2.24 × 1014 photon cm–2 and exposure times 60 sec, shows that the most effective light is at 660 nm with lesser effectiveness at 460 and 560 nm. The responses at 660 and 460 nm are reversible by a far-red (730 nm) exposure, indicative of the possible participation of phytochrome. Analyses of fresh tips of corn roots with a dual-wavelength difference photometer show the phytochrome content in the root to be about 0.16{Delta} ({Delta} OD) per gram fresh wieght. The requirement of light for the geotropic growth response of corn roots might be an adaptive phenomenon. The occurrence of photomorphogenic activity in the green light should be of concern to those who use green as the "safe" light in "dark" experiments.

1Work supported by U. S. NASA and U. S. ERDA.

(Received September 26, 1977; )
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