ELECTRICAL POLARITY AND AUXIN TRANSPORT

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Abstract
The theory demands that the anion of the hormone is electrically transported to an inherent positive pole of the plant. The paper presents exptl. results which show that the electrical polarity demanded by the theory exists in several plants, i.e., basal positivity. The oat seedling was especially investigated since most transport work has been done with this plant. Went''s bipolar dye-uptake experiments on Impatiens cuttings were repeated and confirmed. Positively charged dyes were taken up most by bases, negatively charged dyes by apices of Impatiens cuttings in 1% sucrose. This is in agreement with the fact that electrical measurements showed that the same cuttings had apical negativity after a temporary positivity after cutting. Intact Avena and Zea coleoptiles, Pisum stems, and Impatiens hypocotyls exhibited apical negativity when constancy of potential differences obtained. The electrical polarity internal to the cuticle of Avena coleoptiles was the same as the external. Cut sections of Avena and Zea coleoptiles, and of Pisum stems exhibited the same polarity found in Impatiens cuttings, i.e., apical negativity. Time was required to establish this polarity. The P.D.''s of sections were directly proportional to the length of the sections. Inverting sections inverted their electrical polarity, i.e., the morphological apices became electropositive to the bases. This inverted polarity disappeared with time. It was proportional to the length of the sections as in the upright sections.