Study of Plant Bioelectric Potential Response due to Photosynthesis Reaction

Abstract

Bioelectric potential is generated by ions in a plant cell and the potential changes with physiological activities of the plant. Therefore, measurement of the potential is a promising method for evaluation of the plant activities. In this study, we investigated mechanism of the potential response generation due to photosynthesis reaction of plant. For this purpose, we measured bioelectric potential with replacing air by N₂ gas in order to suppress carbon-fixation reaction. In the result, the potential response was different from ambient gas, and we clarified that several behaviors of the potential response strongly related to activities of photochemical reaction and carbon-fixation reaction. Next, we measured the potential when illuminating condition was changed for accelerating or decelerating photosynthesis. At that time, shape of the potential response correlated with increase or decrease of photosynthetic rate. We considered that the measurement of the bioelectric potential can be applied to evaluation of photosynthetic activity and it can support for effective cultivation.