This page is under construction
Graviponics (from Latin "gravitas" and Greek "ponics") is a horticultural method wherein growth is influenced through the manipulation of a plant's gravitropism1.
Gravitropism is an important regulatory process in plants ensuring that roots grow down and shoots grow up in developing seedlings, regardless of seed orientation. The basic mechanism that results in gravitropism is still not resolved. Research indicates that large particles in cells migrate due to gravity in key cells in the growing tips of roots and stems. The distribution of these particles triggers a number of physiological events mediated by hormones to influence cell expansion. The overall effect in the direction of gravity is inhibition of cell elongation in the roots and a stimulation of cell elongation in the shoots. The nonsymmetrical distribution of cell elongation in each of these tissues causes the growing root to bend towards gravity and the stem to bend away from gravity. While it is certainly most critical during germination, gravitropism continues throughout a plant's growth, in coordination with phototropism.
An interesting issue of considerable current research is how seeds might germinate in microgravity conditions. Seeds will likely need to be germinated under some type of gravity to establish the initial growth of the seedling and then transplanted to growth conditions where other plant controls (primarily phototropism)will regulate the growth pattern. One way in which some of the effects of gravity are mitigated or nullified , is through the use of clinostats2 or rotary grow cylinders3 to change the plant orientation with respect to the gravity vector, typically in conjunction with some kind of hydroponic delivery of nutrients; hence "graviponics". Commercial vendors claimÃÂ multifoldÃÂ increases of plant growth in response graviponic grow methods.
Graviponics (from Latin "gravitas" and Greek "ponics") is a horticultural method wherein growth is influenced through the manipulation of a plant's gravitropism1.
Gravitropism is an important regulatory process in plants ensuring that roots grow down and shoots grow up in developing seedlings, regardless of seed orientation. The basic mechanism that results in gravitropism is still not resolved. Research indicates that large particles in cells migrate due to gravity in key cells in the growing tips of roots and stems. The distribution of these particles triggers a number of physiological events mediated by hormones to influence cell expansion. The overall effect in the direction of gravity is inhibition of cell elongation in the roots and a stimulation of cell elongation in the shoots. The nonsymmetrical distribution of cell elongation in each of these tissues causes the growing root to bend towards gravity and the stem to bend away from gravity. While it is certainly most critical during germination, gravitropism continues throughout a plant's growth, in coordination with phototropism.
An interesting issue of considerable current research is how seeds might germinate in microgravity conditions. Seeds will likely need to be germinated under some type of gravity to establish the initial growth of the seedling and then transplanted to growth conditions where other plant controls (primarily phototropism)will regulate the growth pattern. One way in which some of the effects of gravity are mitigated or nullified , is through the use of clinostats2 or rotary grow cylinders3 to change the plant orientation with respect to the gravity vector, typically in conjunction with some kind of hydroponic delivery of nutrients; hence "graviponics". Commercial vendors claimÃÂ multifoldÃÂ increases of plant growth in response graviponic grow methods.