Summary
The effect of pH on the root membrane potentials was studied using excised roots of Hordeum vulgare, Triticum durum, and Agropyron elongatum (barley, wheat, and tall wheatgrass respectively). The measured potentials were lower the lower the pH of the KCl in the electromotive cell used for the measurements, thus indicating the presence in the root of pH-sensitive electric fields capable of affecting the mobilities of the K and Cl ions and hence the measured potentials. The root membrane potentials from the three species were equal to zero at pH 3. This is due to the fact that at this pH the potential of diffusion is zero because of the deminishing of the electric force fields in the roots. re]19720801
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jacobson, L., Overstreet, R., Carlson, R. M., and Chastain, J. A., The effect of pH and temperature on the absorption of potassium and bromide by barley roots. Plant Physiol. 32, 658–662 (1957).
Helmy, A. K., and Elgabaly, M. M., Exchange capacity of plant roots I. Factors affecting the titration value. Plant and Soil 10, 78–93 (1958).
Helmy, A. K., Tschapek, M., Peinemann, N., and Ferreiro, E. A., Electric Potentials of plant roots. Plant and Soil 35, 549–553 (1971).
Helmy, A. K., Ferreiro, E. A., and Peinemann, N., Some studies on root membrane potentials. J. Exp. Botany 23, 571–576 (1972).
Helmy, A. K., Peinemann, N., and Ferreiro, E. A., Effect of root position on measured root membrane potentials. J. Exp. Botany 24, 29–32 (1973).
Helmy A. K., Ferreiro E. A., and Feinemann N., Membrane potentials of the root base. J. Exp. Botany 24, 810–815.
Robinson, R. A., and Stokes, R. H., Electrolyte Solutions, p. 288 Butterworths (1959).
Spanswick, R. M., and Williams, E. J., Electrical potentials and Na, K and Cl concentrations in the vacuole and cytoplasm of Nitella translucens. J. Exp. Botany 15, 193–200 (1964).
Thomson, G. A. J. R., In Plant Biochemistry. Eds. J. Bonner and J. E. Verner. Academic Press. Chapt. 5. (1965).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Helmy, A.K., Peinemann, N. & Ferreiro, E.A. Effect of pH on root membrane potentials. Plant Soil 40, 253–259 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011508
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011508