Bending and Squeezing: Gradual Electric Potentials Encode Mechanical Stimuli in Poplar

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ID: 319991
2026
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Abstract
Mechanical stimuli such as wind elicit rapid electrical signals in plants, yet the mechanisms underlying these responses remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological responses of young poplar trees to controlled stem bending. We identified a gradual potential (GP), distinct from classical action potentials, whose attenuation and propagation distance depend strongly on stimulus speed and intensity. While the maximal GP amplitude recorded near the bending site remained stable across stimulation conditions, slower or gentler flexions resulted in faster spatial decay and shorter propagation distances. Similar GP responses were elicited by stem bending and by direct root pressurization, indicating a coupling between hydraulic perturbations and electrical signaling. Although GP propagation and attenuation are consistent with a diffusive pressure signal, key features-such as the invariance of peak amplitude at generation site and progressive waveform narrowing-cannot be explained by hydraulic diffusion alone and point to a nonlinear transduction process. Together, these results constrain the biophysical mechanisms underlying mechanically induced electrical signaling in trees and provide a framework for future studies addressing their physiological relevance.
Reference Key
openalex_W7167739400 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Erwan Tinturier, Éric Badel, Nathalie Leblanc‐Fournier, Geoffroy Guéna, Yoël Forterre, Jean‐Louis Julien
Journal Journal of experimental botany
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/jxb/erag329
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erag329
Keywords Keywords not found

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