Electric potential diffecnce in the pistil of the rape plant in relation to its maturation

Abstract

Electric potential of the pistile of rape flower was measured. In the young flower bud (namely, of the developing stage degree 1, Fig.1) the stigma end showed to 3-5mV against the flower base, and the base of the pistil showed about 7 mV, that is the former being lower in potential than the latter. As the flower development proceeded, the point of higher potential ascended along the pistil, namely, at the stage of degree 2, the middle part of the pistil showing the highest, about 13 mV, and at the stage of degree 3, the stigma showing the highest potential, about 27 mV. At the stage of degree 6, the full bloom the potentials of all parts of the pistil ascended remarkably, and among the parts, the stigma showed the highest, namely about 80 mV, the base of the pistil being at about 48 mV. After full blooming and fertilization had occurred, the potential of the wholepistil lowered and the gradient along the pistil body reversed suddenly, the base of the pistil becoming again to show the highest potential of all paits of it. At degree 8 of stage, the base of the pistil showed 50 mV. As to the artificially castrated flowers, those which remained not pollinated showed the same tendency of potential gradient as the flowers in full bloom, while in those pollinated artificially the potential became to lower.