Space environmental effects on circadian rhythms of plants - plant data for use in biosatellite

French, J. D.

Hoshizaki, T.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

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SEMI -ANNUAL REPORT 
NAT I ONAL AERONAUT I CS 
G rant  NsG -528 
G f f e c t  o f  Space Environment on Cl rcadian Rhythms 
\ of-Plants,  For the Purpose o f  Defining and Veri fy ing an Experiment Suitable for  Use in a Blosatel l  i t e  
ember 1 ,  1963 &S Mar#h 1 ,  1964_1 
D r .  b. D. French L-4 
.- , D r .  T. H o s h i r a k g v  \ 
/--- -_ 0 5  2 4 7 * &  
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19650011380 2020-03-16T23:52:47+00:00Z
SEMI -ANNUAL REPORT 
Grant NsG 528 
Research Performed. 
INTRODUCTION 
During the  f i r s t  s i x  months o f  t he  gran t  per iod,  several new tech- 
niques and ideas have developed which appear t o  enhance the  f e a s i a b i l i t y  
of the  experiment. 
i n g  system i s  being t r i e d  out and a poss ib le  axenic c u l t u r e  technique i s  
be ing developed. In add i t i on  t o  these recent developments, the  Nograva- 
t ron,  a weightlessness s imulat ing apparatus developed i n  our  laboratory,  
has been tested. Quick growing At las  bar ley  seedlings were placed on the  
Nogravatron and growth rates were compared t o  s ta t i ona ry  contro ls .  S t r i k -  
i n g  d i f ference were observed i n  c o l e o p t i l e  and f i r s t  l e a f  e longat ion rates, 
Typica l  responses are  depicted i n  Fig. 1 ,  2, 3. It i s  hoped t o  t e s t  and 
record I n  the  very near fu ture Pinto bean l e a f  movements under simulated 
weightlessness condi t ions by growing and photographing p lan ts  on the  No- 
gravatron, 
r m a n d  the  shut te r  t r i g g e r i n g  mechanism i s  being adapted t o  the  No- 
gravat  ron. 
The s i ze  o f  the p l a n t  has been reduced, a new record- 
The purchased time-lapse camera and accessory equipment a r r i v e d  
PINTO BEANS 
Conf i m a t  ion  o f  Data, 
beans have been obtained by the  Ames Research Laboratory andQas confirmed 
prev ious f ind ings  on PTnto bean l e a f  movements5 
Add i t iona l  s ta t ionary  contro l  data for the  pr imary leaves o f  Pinto 
Size Reduction o f  Experimental Package. 
(tb decrease i n  the  u l t i m a t e  s ize o f  t he  experimental conta iner  t o  3" x 
3" x 12" has been brought about as mentioned before by the  technique o f  
us ing detached pr imary leaves. Time lapse recording has shown t h a t  there  
are  no s i g n i f i c a n t  changes i n  the  rhy thmic i ty  o f  the  detached l e a f  from 
t h a t  o f  leaves at tached t o  whole p lants .  
tached leaves which were rooted i n  ve rm icu l i t e  have been transplanted and 
grown i n  p o t t i n g  s o i l  for as long as 6 weeks. Add i t iona l  f luorescent  lamps 
ment phenomenon. 
t$ining the  detached l e a f  i n  prime cond i t ion  on syn the t i c  media I n  the  view 
f incorporat ing these c u l t u r a l  methods into the  f i n a l  b i o s a t e l l i t e  unit. 
Axenic Cu l tu ra l  Techniques. 
t!e have also s ta r ted  work on developing an axenic c u l t u r a l  method i n  
the  event these experiments may have t o  be performed under suboptimal l i g h t  
condi t ions.  Glassware and chemicals have been purchased f o r  t h i s  phase o f  
work. Present ly a modi f ied Murashige-Skoog media i s  being t r i e d  t o  c u l t u r e  
rooted pr imary leaves. Leaves have been kept  a l i v e  and cu l tu res  s t e r i l e  
f o r  as long a k b  he dea leaves by the  invas ion o f  fungi  
i n t o  the  petr SI e of t resu l t s ,  the poor asep t i c  condi- 
t i o n s  o f  the laboratory  a dra u i l d i n g  i s  being improved and we 
Under greenhouse condi t ions,  de- 
and accessories have been purchased t o  study 1 n more d e t a i l  t he  lea f  move- 
Work i s  progressing on the  c u l t u r a l  technique of main- 
Y 1  
. 
Bra in  Research I n s t i t u t e  
Page 2 - Grant NsG 528 
hope to a l l e v i a t e  t h i s  cond i t i on  by t h e  use o f  s t e r i l e  hoods and c u l t u r e  
chambers. 
Possible New Recording Technique. 
I n  the  aspect o f  recording, the t ime lapse photographic method has 
been developed t o  a h igh  r e l i a b i l i t y  stage. \.le a t  U.C.L.A. have pursued 
o t h e r  methods o f  recording and a re  now developing a system us ing s t r a i n  
guages as tk recording sensor. Dr, R. D. Chiprnan o f  the U.C,L.A. Engi- 
neer ing Department has advised us on t h i s  pro ject ,  
gauge system has shown great promise as a recording method and we a r e  
working t o  overcome a minor problem o f  f i n d i n g  the  proper adhesive between 
the p l a n t  and the metal sensor. 
So far,  t he  s t r a i n  
NEUROPORA CRASSA. 21 863 
Neurospora has been cu / tured on a low n u t r i t i o n a l  media in  a 1 1  x 
160 mm pyrex race tube. 
t he  growth r a i e  t o  &/2" t o  3/41' per day when placed i n  
e ra tu re  o f  20 C + 1 C. 
Th is  has resul ted i n  the desired reduct ion o f  
constant temp- 
- 
A two (2) pound biopack has been developed i n  o u r  
b i t a l  f l ight .  Th is  biopack is 2 1/2 inches i n  diameter 
aboratory f o r  o r -  
and 7 inches long 
(Fig. 41,- 
Simulated F1 i g h t  Stresses./ 
ted race tubes were placed i n t o  the biopack, and were then subjected t o  
f l i g h t  stresses. V i b r a t i o n  t e s t  was used t o  s imulate booster stresses 
and stresses up t o  7 1/2 G 4 s  a t  2 KC were given. These v i b r a t i o n  t e s t s  
were conducted a t  Douglas A i r c r a f t  Company under t h e  supervis ion o f  Mr.  
T. Serrena (Fig. 5). A l l  components o f  the biopack, t he  temperature con- 
t r o l  u n i t ,  and the fungus cu l tu res  d i d  n o t  show signs of damage from the 
v i b r a t i o n  tests.  
We have made simulated o r b i t a l  runs w i t h  our  biopack. The innocula- 
The growth and banding appeared normal . 
Var ia t ions i n  Growth Rate. 
where one o f  6 tubes may suddenly grow o u t  a t  a h i g h  r a t e  and t h e  band 
appears t o  be a t  l e a s t  4 inches i n  width instead o f  t he  usual 3/4" width. 
Fur ther  t e s t i n g  i s  a n t i c i p a t e d  t o  check t h i s  problem. 
In o the r  experiments, v a r i a t i o n  i n  the  growth r a t e  has been noted, 
PROJECTED WORK ON NEUROSPORA 
Future work w i l l  be concerned w i t h  the  c u l t u r i n g  o f  neurospora c u l -  
t u res  on the Nogravatron t o  check growth pa t te rns  and t e s t  the v a r i a t i o n  
I n  band formation under simulated weightlessness and s ta t i ona ry  condit ions, 
PROJECTED \*KIRK ON PINTO BEANS 
Experimental work t o  be done in  the second h a l f  o f  the year w i l l  in- 
c lude the observations o f  l e a f  movements wh i l e  the  p l a n t  I s  being r o t a t e d  
i n  the  Nogravatron. The l e a f  movements under these condi t ions w i l l  be com- 
pared t o  t h e  s ta t i ona ry  controls.  With t h e  r e s u l t s  we hope t o  obtain,  a 
Brain Research Institute 
Page 3 - Grant MsG 528 
under a weightlessness environment, to one under a tiorma1 gravity con- 
dition and to one under a simulated weightlessness condition. 
Further work will be done on the problem of packaging the experi- 
For the photographic technique, a container having a panel that ment. 
will remain clear of moisture will have to be developed. The use of 
some heating element on the surface i s  contempleted. 
for vibration and gravity stresses are planned for the future. 
More extensive tests 
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Figure 4. Biopack for  4 fungus race tubes. Thermostaticalby 
control ed heating 8ystem hglds temperature 19.0 C 
t o  22.5 C with an 8 C t o  23 C environment. 
weight of u n i t  i s  2 pounds. 
b 
Total 
f 
PICK-UP LOCATION 
FOR RUNS NO. 1.2. AND 3 
46  TABLE INPUT 5 - 2 K  
MAX. OUT (ON SPECIMEN) 
188G'r AT 1700 C.P.S. 
I I I I I I 1 1 I 
5 IO 20 50 IO0 200 500 I K  2 K  
Figure 5 .  Data from v i b r a t i o n  tes ts  given t o  biopacks contain- 
ing 4 fungus race tubes and heating system. Maximum 3006 - 
stress measured on package w s  300G a t  1700 C . P . S .  
A l l  components o f  the biopack including t h e  fungus 
were not damaged by the v i b r a t i o n  treatment.  
96 - 
Run No.3 
Run No.2 
76 TABLE INPUT 
TABLE INPUT: 
0.5" DOUBLE AMPLITUDE 5-14c.p.s. 
7.56 400-200O~.p.s .  
0- 56 14-400~.p.s. 
0- 
I 
I I I 1 1 I I I 1 
5 IO 20 50 100 200 500 I K  2K 


Effect of Space Environment on Circadian Rhythms of Plants, for the Purpose of Defining and Verifying an Experiment Suitable for Use in a Biosatellite  Semiannual Report, Sep. 1, 1963 - Mar. 1, 1964

Effect of Space Environment on Circadian Rhythms of Plants, for the Purpose of Defining and Verifying an Experiment Suitable for Use in a Biosatellite Semiannual Report, Sep. 1, 1963 - Mar. 1, 1964

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