MAGIC BEHIND TOUCH-ME-NOT PLANT

The scientific name of the touch-me-not plant is Mimosa pudica, which belongs to the family of Fabaceae and originates in tropical Central and South America.

It shows sensitivity to touch. This phenomenon is scientifically known as seismonastic movement. It is a result of a quick drop in turgor pressure in the cells at the base of the leaflets. "Flaccid" cells cannot support the weight of the leaflet and they start to close.

What is the molecular mechanism behind it?

When a plant detects a stimulus, it sends a signal to the top cell of the pulvinus (plant motor organ) via an action potential. Active transport keeps potassium and chloride, inside the cell at higher concentrations than outside the cell.

However, when the action potential reaches a top cell, potassium and chloride specific ion channels are opened in response to the change in electric charge. This allows ions to move out of the cells through ion channels and triggering water to leave the cells through osmosis.

Much of this water comes out from the cell vacuole. This phenomenon makes vacuole smaller and causing the cell to shrink.

How this process transmitted to neighbouring leaves?

The ions released by the top cells are pumped into the bottom cells by active transport and consequently bottom cells will have high concentrations. The water moves in, again due to osmosis, and is stored in the vacuole, causing the bottom cells to swell.

If a stimulus is strong, pulvini at the bases of the leaves and the petiole (the stalk that joints leaf and the stem) also react. However, in these pulvini, the behaviour of the top and bottom cells is reversed, which means that activation drives the petiole downwards rather than upwards.

So, the combined effect is that leaflets fold up, but the whole leaf is pushed closer to the ground, giving the appearance of lifeless.

Credits: Sabitha

Comments

WHY ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEAN ARE NOT MIXED?

Nearly 72% of the earth is filled with water and it is present with different names- oceans, seas, rivers. Why are they named differently? There are five oceans namely Artic ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian ocean and Antarctic ocean . All the oceans are different in their physical and biological character called ocean clines. When we look at the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean junction, they do not mix. Is there any invisible Wall in between them? Many scientists have conducted research to solve this mystery. The Atlantic and Pacific Ocean have different chemical composition. The salinity of the water in the Atlantic Ocean is five times more than the Pacific Ocean. The density of water is also different, so even marine animals in Atlantic Ocean will not go to the Pacific Ocean. They cannot survive in other oceans. Atlantic and Pacific Ocean meet at Cape Horn. The narrow straight line formed by the water bodies is called Drake Strait. The Pacific Ocean is ...

The key for longevity Life

The secret to longevity lies in a diet comprising more fruits and vegetables. It is not meat or chicken that can help you live longer, but leafy greens and fresh fruits that can help to enhance the functioning of your internal system and prevent premature mortality. Two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables can lower mortality rates. Eating more than two and three does not provide any additional benefits. There are the optimal amount of natural products that one can take to cut down the risk of developing any major diseases. All fruits and vegetables are inequality in their benefits. More leafy green and less starchy veggies and pulped can help to reduce the risk of chronic disease. The higher consumption of fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of death in men and women. We can have day one apple for heart-related disease and gives you long life. Mediterranean diet can decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases and even help to maintain a healthy ...

Art Gallery in Ahmedabad

The construction project was designed to demonstrate the collaboration between an artist and architect is known as Amdavad Ni Gufa.It is an underground gallery housing. This building was completed by the year 1994. It is a cultural type building. The architect of Amdavad Ni Gufa is V astushilpaConsultants.The gallery represents a unique juxtaposition of architecture and art. The cave-like underground structure has a roof made of multiple interconnected domes, covered with a mosaic of tiles. The team of this building is BalkrishnaDoshi, Hon. It exhibits works of the Indian artist Maqbool Fida Husain.Client of this construction is M. F. Husain.Construction started in 1992 at LalbhaiDalpatbhai Campus, near CEPT University, opp. Gujarat University, University Road. Husain used the gallery’s walls as a canvas, painting them with bold strokes and bright colors. The artwork depicts human figures and motifs of animals, including his famous horse figures. He also...

Home

Search This Blog