Skip to main content
Journal of Wood Science

Official Journal of the Japan Wood Research Society

Download PDF
  • Original Article
  • Published:

Measurements of the bioelectrical potential of a Japanese oak (Quercus crispula Blume) sapling: Effect of the radial distribution of inorganic ingredients within a tree stem on the diurnal change in resting potential

Journal of Wood Science volume 44, pages 249–254 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

This study investigated the relation between the resting potential of a 2-year-old Japanese oak (Quercus crispula Blume) sapling and its physiology, especially the radial transport of water containing inorganic ingredients in the stem using the scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray microanalyzer (SEM-EDXA) method. The resting potential of a sapling could be monitored continuously with our measuring apparatus. Changes in resting potential were due to the light. The hyperpolarization and depolarization peaks of the resting potential, whose absolute voltage was about 10mV, occurred right after lights-off and lights-on, respectively. The resting potential was found to show periodic responses for each day unit. At night (lights-off), the resting potential tended to depolarize with an increase in tangential strain. On the other hand, during the daytime (lights-on) the resting potential tended to hyperpolarize, depolarize, or show a nearly constant value for the tangential strain. The water containing inorganic ingredients was transported, via transpiration, in both directions between the mature xylem zone and the phloem zone through differentiating xylem cells. This water transport within a tree stem had a significant effect on the diurnal changes in resting potential.

References

  1. Chino M (ed) (1997) Busshitsu no yusou to chozou (in Japanese). Asakura Shoten, Tokyo, pp 18–25

    Google Scholar 

  2. Tazawa H, Shimmen T, Mimura T (1982) The generative voltage in the plant cell (in Japanese). Seidenki Gakkaishi 6:285–292

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ishikawa H, Abou S, Ohta E, Sakata M (1983) Effects of periodic and transient-osmotic stress on electric potentials in bean roots. Plant Cell Physiol 24:1129–1135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Ishikawa H, Yamamura K, Furukoshi M, Ohta E, Sakata M (1984) Effects of K+ (86Rb) transport and the net H+ efflux on electrical properties along bean (Phaseolus mungo) roots. Plant Cell Physiol 25:1045–1054

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Asher WG (1968) Response of pine seedings to mechanical stimulation. Nature 217:134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Toriyama H (1982) The bioelectrical potential of the outward plant (in Japanese). Seidenki Gakkaishi 6:276–284

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sakamoto M, Sumiya K (1985) Some fundamental problems on measurements of the bioelectrical potential of poplar (Populus nigra L.) callus. Mokuzai Gakkaishi 31:620–626

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nagao A (1983) Differences of flower initiation ofCryptomeria japonica under various alternating temperatures (in Japanese). Nihon Rin Gakkaishi 65:335–338

    Google Scholar 

  9. Utsumi Y, Sano Y, Ohtani J, Fujikawa S (1996) Seasonal changes in the distribution of water in the outer growth rings ofFraxinus mandshurica var.Japonica: a study by cryo-scanning electron microscopy. IAWA J 17:113–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ishikawa H, Aizawa H, Kishira H, Ogawa T, Sakata M (1983) Light-induced changes of membrane potential in guard cells ofVicia faba. Plant Cell Physiol 24:769–772

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Shimaji K, Sudo S, Harada H (1985) Mokuzai no soshiki [wood anatomy] (in Japanese), Morikita Shuppan, Tokyo, pp 239–240

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Wood Technology, Akita Prefectural College of Agriculture, 016-0876, Noshiro, Japan

    Takahisa Nakai

  2. Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), Tsukuba, Norin Kenkyu Danchi-nai, PO Box 16, 305-8687, Ibaraki, Japan

    Hisashi Abe

Authors
  1. Takahisa Nakai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hisashi Abe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Takahisa Nakai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nakai, T., Abe, H. Measurements of the bioelectrical potential of a Japanese oak (Quercus crispula Blume) sapling: Effect of the radial distribution of inorganic ingredients within a tree stem on the diurnal change in resting potential. J Wood Sci 44, 249–254 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00581303

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00581303

Key words