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Plant root experiment
(part of the PARN project, Lionel)
Abstract
The tips of the plant roots are highly sensitive areas, capable of detecting and interpreting a large range a environmental parameters such as water availability, gravity, nutrients concentration and mechanical forces. Those parameters determine the direction of the root's growth.
Here, we decided to investigate the ability of a root to 'search for its way'. We designed a simple pattern of tiny channels (~ 1 mm² of section) to let a plant's root grow inside. At every branching, the root tip will have to make a choice, guided by its cellular sensory mechanims.
Materials & methods
The idea is to carve 1mm deep grooves in a transparent layer. By adding another layer on it, the grooves becomes channels.
A first, simple pattern for the channels (.xls drawing)
The pattern was grooved in a plexiglas plate by lasercut
Glass pipes connect the circuit with water stocks
A seed in inserted on the 'input' side of the circuit
First scan of the – empty – circuit
related: PARN Project: Human-plant communication - research diary