Thigmomorphogenesis: On the mechanical properties of mechanically perturbed bean plants |
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Authors: | Mordecai J Jaffe Frank W Telewski Paul W Cooke |
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Institution: | Dept of Biology, Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem. NC 27109, U.S.A.;Tree Ring Research Lab. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AR 85721, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | The mechanical properties of control and mechanically perturbed (MP) bean stems ( Phaseolus vulgaris L., ev. Cherokee wax) were compared. The rubbed plants were greatly hardened against mechanical rupture by previous MP. This hardening was due to a dramatic increase in the flexibility of the stems, but not in their stiffness. The MP-plants were able lo bend more than 90° without breaking, whereas the control plants broke after just slight bending. A comparison with other work reveals that different species utilize different tactics for achieving similar resistance to rupture due to mechanical stress. |
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Keywords: | Elasticity elastic resiliance flexural stiffness plasticity Young's modulus |
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