Abstract
Time Domain Dielectric Spectroscopy (TDDS) provides a useful method for monitoring the physiological state of a biological system which may be changing with time. A voltage step is applied to a sample and the Fourier Transform of the resulting current yields the variations of the conductance, capacitance and dielectric loss of the sample with frequency (dielectric spectrum). An important question is whether the application of the voltage step itself can produce changes which obscure those of interest.
Long term monitoring of the dielectric properties of plant stems requires the use of needle electrodes with relatively large current densities and field strengths at the electrode-stem interface. Steady currents on the order of those used in TDDS have been observed to modify the distribution of plant growth hormones, to produce wounding at electrode sites, and to cause stem collapse. This paper presents the preliminary results of an investigation into the effects of the application of voltage steps on the observed dielectric spectrum of the stem of the plant Coleus.
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Hart, F.X. Changes in the dielectric properties of a plant stem produced by the application of voltage steps. Int J Biometeorol 27, 29–40 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186298
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186298