HIGH-RESOLUTION STUDY OF PLANT-CELL GROWTH-KINETICS

Auxanometers using LVDT (linear voltage differential transformer) disp lacement transducers allow very high analysis of plant cell growth. Re cent studies of plant growth using this measurement technique revealed apparent irregularities in the growth rate, but it was unclear whethe r or not these were of biological origin. The present work describes s everal improvements of the measurement system made with the aim of exc luding possible artefactual sources of such growth rate irregularities . The measurements obtained with this system are discussed.