Phototropism in Hypocotyls of Radish

Abstract

When etiolated radish (Raphanus sativus var. hortensis f. gigantissimus Makino) hypocotyls were subjected to a continuous unilateral illumination with white fluorescent light at 0.05, 0.1, or 1 watt per square meter, the suppression of the growth rate on the lighted side depended on the light intensity. The growth rate at the shaded side was only a little affected by the illumination at 0.05 and 0.1 watt per square meter but considerably suppressed by that at 1 watt per square meter. Upon a continuous unequal bilateral illumination, the growth rate was more strongly suppressed on the side of the higher intensity than on the side of the lower one, resulting in phototropic curvature toward the light source of the higher intensity. It was calculated from correlation analysis of light intensity and growth rate that, on an average, 6.9% of the irradiation applied to one side reached the opposite side. The amounts of cis- and trans-raphanusanins and raphanusamide in hypocotyls subjected to unilateral or unequal bilateral illumination increased much more at the side of the lighted or the higher intensity than at the opposite side. The present study demonstrates that phototropism in radish hypocotyl is correlated with and we conclude caused by a gradient of growth inhibition in the hypocotyl, depending on irradiation-induced amounts of cis- and trans-raphanusanins and raphanusamide.