Variation of Electric Potential From The Stem of Leafy Plants Under Different Conditions.

Abstract

Signals in leafy plants have been scientifically documented as hormonal or hydraulic in nature until some years ago whilst it was shown that different environmental stimuli additionally produce changes in electrical signals well observed especially in higher plants. These electrical signals employ ion channels to transmit signals within the plant. The transmission of these electrical signals causes physiological responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli. The mechanisms of electrical signal generation and transmission in leafy plants is correlated to the intensity and duration of stimuli, which shows that the real time detection of these electrical potentials will offer an approach to quantitatively relate plant reactions to environmental adjustments. However, the nature of electric potentials in leafy plants are not known, notwithstanding the fact that the knowledge may be useful in design of high efficient irrigation systems. In addition, due to the nature of these weak electrical signals, there might be other benefits than the physiological responses to stimuli. In this work, changes in electrical potentials due to abiotic changes in living plants have been determined. Electrical potentials changes under watering and lack of watering, in presence and absence of light conditions were carried out. Fluctuations of these electrical potentials were also investigated. The sample plant was obtained readily planted as a seedling from the nurseries. A measuring kit, which included electrodes and a voltmeter was used. One electrode was pierced through the lower trunk of the plant, a second one around the leaf area and was then connected to a voltage meter. The setups were placed in the Lab towards the sunlight and normal temperature environment. Experimental data was tabulated for four sessions of three hours throughout the day for a period of five days with enough water and five days without watering and graphical analysis was done which showed the electrical potentials variations. The different Electric Potentials were then plotted in graphs.