The effects of yeast vitamine water-soluble B on plant cell-masses and on biocolloids

Abstract

One of the most clearly outstanding results to be derived from my measurements of imbibition by cell-masses, and of swelling of biocolloids (agar-pentosan mixtures) is that solutions which promote growth in plants increase hydration in living and dead cell-masses and of agar or agar protein mixtures.

As the first step in testing the effects of vitamine, water-soluble B on the growth of some higher plants, its action in hydration was measured on a variety of materials at 15° C. at the Coastal Laboratory, Carmel, California, July to October, 1918. A solution of 1 part in a thousand in distilled water from a preparation furnished by Dr. Isaac Harris was used. Even when prepared under chemically clean conditions and kept in the dark at 15° C. deterioration began within 40 hours and hence freshly made solutions were used, which tested by acidity by the indicator method showed a P_H of 5.25.

The auxograph was used in taking the measurements, trios of sections or of roots being placed in stender dishes into which the solutions were poured. Taking the swellings in water as 100 hydration increases were measured as follows:

It is to be seen from the above that of living cell masses from eight different plants, five showed a greater hydration capacity in the vitamine solution than in water, two were notably less and one had a swelling capacity only slightly less than in water. Of the five which gave excessive enlargement in a living state, two were tested in mature condition and also found to show a high capacity in the vitamine.

Two of the five which showed excessive swelling in a living condition, repeated this action in a dried condition. Lastly it was found that of the three kinds of cell-masses which did not give the normal hydration in vitamine, two gave an excessive swelling in a dried condition.