Kinetics of stem gravitropism in Coprinus cinereus: determination of presentation time and "dosage-response" relationships using clinostats

The sensitivity to gravitational stimulation of excised stems of the mushroom fruit body of Coprinus cinereus was determined using clinostat rotation to remove partially-stimulated stems from the normal unidirectional gravitational field. For the strain and conditions tested, the presentation time (the minimum time of stimulation required to elicit a gravitropic reaction) was determined to be 9.6 min. This is the first time the presentation time has been determined for a fungal gravitropic response. Constructional details are given of the clinostats employed in the research and their further use is discussed.