CONCERNING THE INFLUENCE OF POLARIZED LIGHT ON THE GROWTH OF SEEDLINGS

Abstract

While these experiments are not exhaustive, a sufficient number have been made to warrant the statement that the effect of polarized light of the visible spectrum on the growth of various seedlings and See PDF for Structure more particularly on the growth of Lupinus albus is somewhat different from that of non-polarized light. This is especially convincing in view of the results obtained with double sets of plants which were alternately exposed to polarized and non-polarized lights of the same intensities and at the same temperature. In every experiment thus performed the set which was placed in a polarizing chamber grew better. It is, furthermore, interesting to note that the phenomenon above observed did not take place when the seed portion of the plants was protected from light by wrapping with tinfoil. This agrees well with previous findings concerning the action of diastase on starch in polarized light. The above researches will be continued on a more elaborate scale but the results so far obtained are deemed worthy of publication in the form of a preliminary communication at the present time.