VARIATION OF THE ELECTRIC RESISTANCE OF PLANT TISSUES FOR ALTERNATING CURRENTS OF DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES DURING DEATH

Abstract

The electric resistance of pieces of tissue from young stems of Ambrosia trifida was measured for alternating currents of frequencies varying from 0.5 to 1024 kilocycles. Data and curves for tissue heated for 2, 4, and 6 min. at 50[degree]C, boiled, put 10 sec. in solid C02, 10 min. in ether, and 2 min. in alcohol, show that at low frequencies the resistance decreases with the increase of the injury until it reaches a minimum, which is the resistance of dead tissue, and that at high frequencies the resistance of dead and living tissues is nearly the same, its value approaching that of dead tissue at low frequency. The electrical resistance of the tissues used was due mostly to the surfaces of the cells. Decrease in resistance at low frequencies corresponded to the degree of destruction of these surfaces.