Analogies between rhythms in plant material, in atmospheric pressure, and solar lunar periodicities

Abstract

Low frequency fluctuations of the gaseous exchanges of seeds and of the length of the roots of seedlings, maintained in darkness and at constant temperature, were compared with the atmospheric pressure fluctuations and solar lunar rhythmicities. Several experiments were conducted in short and long series on seeds and seedlings of different species. Gaseous exchanges were measured with the Warburg apparatus. The experiments were conducted with or without renewing the series, on different conditions of temperature and humidity, with or without agitation. On the short series, the morning and afternoon series were compared. On the long series, a pooled variance spectrum or a periodogram were established. OnLycopersicum esculentum L. seeds, morning and afternoon gaseous consumptions oscillated with respect to one another with a greater morning consumption at intervals of 15 days in correlation with new and full moon. The same oscillation was detected on the inverse of the atmospheric pressure. OnHelianthus annuus L. seeds a rhythmicity of the gaseous exchanges of 15 days and the same rhythmicity for the inverse of the atmospherical pressure were observed. In a new experiment a periodicity of 15 days was detected with some other low frequency rhythms and a plurimonthly tendency almost correlated with the vernal equinox. OnLepidium sativum L. a monthly rhythm and a plurimonthly tendency of the growth of roots of 72-h seedlings were found. Analogies of rhythmicity between the biological material, the atmospherical pressure and the solar lunar rhythmicity are observed.