Mechanical stress and lignification

[Tony Travis]

harper at convex.csc.FI (Rob Harper) writes:
: [...]
: A few years ago I corrected the language of a master degree from the
: Horticulture department at Helsinki University. It examined how machanical
: stimulation of plants in the green-house helped them to survive once they
: were transplanted outside. If I remember correctly the japanese have perfected
: this type of stimulation in the green house. There are various techniques.
: 
: 1) The plants are continuously moved by air convection (large fans)
: 2) The tables on which the plants are grown are vibrated.
: 3) A mechanical device made of felt brushes over the plants regularly.
: 
: With some bean plants... untreated plants would snap when you bent the stem.
: whereas treated plants could be bent 30-40 degrees without breaking.
: 
: It was rather an interesting study.

It sounds it!

Can you tell us the author, and was any of the work published?

	Tony

-- 
    Tony Travis <ajt at uk.ac.sari.rri>  | Dr. A.J.Travis 
                                      | Rowett Research Institute,
                                      | Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen,
                                      | AB2 9SB. UK. tel 0224-712751