Gravity and land plant evolution: experimental induction of lignification by simulated hypergravity and water stress

The ability to lignify cell walls has long been associated with the upright condition and sometimes massive body of the land plant, and gravitational regulation of lignification has been demonstrated by clinostat/centrifuge techniques. Previous centrifuge experiments were conducted using plants in the early stages of growth, hence already programmed for immediate lignification. Elodea, an aquatic Angiosperm long believed to be incapable of lignification synthesizes lignin or lignin-like phenolics during 6 days incubation at 80 g . Yields in some cases exceeded stationary controls by as much as 300%. Supporting data were obtained using bean cotyledons. Exposure to 80 g induced lignification in extra-vascular tissue along with vascular lignin deposits. The loss of a buoyant medium also deprived early land plants of unlimited water: the lignin content in cucumber seedlings grown in water is reduced 50% or more relative to pot grown plants but water stress elevates lignin content as much as 100%. This suggests that the water status of the land environment may have provided a "backup" or "reinforcement" signal for an adaptive axial support system.